#but the second i'm like 'okay i'll just group with the one person who's communicating with me' they respond like 'omg i missed ur message!!

[miodiodavinci]

oughgh

[loggiepj]

FORBIDDEN

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Part 4

Warnings: Violence, Blood

Y/n had no idea how things escalated so quickly. It was supposed to be an easy rescue mission. Since it was already late, they could use the darkness as an advantage.

Deviants were slightly dimwitted, but they were known to have the best and strongest weapons the community could ever have. The Avengers used to steal from their weaponries during rescue missions until one of the first Avengers, Tony, learned the art of being a Blacksmith, and had by far crafted weapons that stood equally against Deviants' own.

The temporary camp the enemies had set up was already quiet, snorings and the crackling of fire filling the air. Bottles of  rum were strewn on the ground, giving the conclusion that they just did a whole night of celebration.

The Avengers that were captured by the Deviants earlier were placed inside man-made cells along with the witches.

Before infiltrating the site, Y/n learned that the Deviants had once again attacked a nearby village who had witches residing — witches who had disguised themselves as humans for years. Apparently, Deviants had begun sending out assets just to spy every village, pretending to be a citizen, be it a lone stranger looking for a place to sleep, or a group of individuals introducing themselves as a family.

Clint, the leader of the assigned Avengers sent for the mission, and a lot of others failed to evacuate the people during the attack when one of the witches hesitated to cooperate. They were short in arms when the battle started earlier. Some Avengers had managed to escape and brought the news back to the camp. Henceforth, backup was urgently requested — backup in which Y/n, her best friend Yelena, Pietro and some other volunteers joined.

"And there goes the last Deviant," Yelena whispered with a soft chuckle, watching the Deviant taking the nightwatch fall unconscious to the ground, the empty pint of beer slipping from his hands. "I think we're clear to go."

The blonde stood up from her crouching position and began her descent towards the camp. But before she could leave, Y/n held her wrist.

"Be careful," Y/n said, concerned for her best friend's safety.

"You be careful. Don't forget, I am better than you in real combat," Yelena replied, a smug smile on her face.

Shaking her head while laughing softly, Y/n let the blonde go.

"I'll signal you once done."

Y/n nodded, watching Yelena go forth. The human had her hands ready on her bow and arrow, ready to shoot if ever things go wrong.

Yelena was assigned to steal most of the Deviants' weapons within reach just to bide time in case all hell breaks loose. The blonde was an expert at being stealthy, quiet as a mouse.

"I'm sorry about my sister," Pietro spoke beside Y/n, making the human lose her focus. "W-Wanda can be stubborn when she wanted to be . . . But I swear she didn't mean to say those things to you earlier—"

"There's really no need for you to apologize on her behalf," Y/n cut him off, her eyes directed at Yelena picking up the fallen swords from the sleeping Deviants. "She has a right to her own opinion, to whom she'll give her trust. And if I'm not that person or any human for that matter, well, it's okay."

Pietro let out a sigh, loosening his hold around his sword. "Wanda has a traumatic past as much as me, with what happened to our parents and all. But she never got to go outside her own world, she never got to meet and know good humans like you and the Avengers growing up, so she pretty believed that all humans are Deviants in nature."

Y/n pursed her lips, remembering the witch that has been consuming most of her thoughts for the past few days. In all honesty, she had given up trying to make amends with Wanda the second she said those harsh things about her earlier. If the witch didn't want anything to do with Y/n, so be it.

She had other important things to worry about, such as the current mission.

Y/n was about to reply to Pietro when the first torch was put out by Yelena. Then the next, and the next, until the last one where Yelena finally gave her the look — the signal.

Clint was still wide awake when he noticed the torches suddenly went out. He was in one of the nearest cells from the entrance.

He could see Y/n and the others began creeping their way into the camp. He waved towards them, then gestured a hand signal warning that there were two sleeping Deviants guarding beside the cell.

Y/n immediately began to work, tiptoeing across sleeping Deviants just to get to the cells. And when she had finally reached where Clint was situated, she began to silently pick the lock to his cell.

One thing Y/n was also good at besides archery was picking at locks. She actually learned on her own when she was just a kid, what with a lot of experience being locked up in her bedroom by none other than her own brother whenever she wanted to go out with her friends for late night mischiefs.

Once opened, Clint nodded in gratitude towards her before he led the witches out the cell in an orderly quiet fashion.

Y/n moved towards the next man-made cells, carefully opening the locks without making any noise. The other Avengers assisted the rescued ones after the cells were opened. Terrified witches followed with haste, wanting to get away from the awful place.

Everything was going well so far. They had somehow managed to evacuate most of the captured until in one last remaining cell, Y/n was immediately attacked by one male witch who jumped and strangled her the moment she managed to open the doors.

"You normies are the reason for all this," he spat, nostrils flaring as he gripped Y/n's neck tight. "We were just peacefully going through our day and you humans came along and destroyed it, destroyed our homes."

Y/n held the witch's wrists, conserving oxygen. "S-Sir, this is certainly not the time for an argument, w-we're actually here to save all of you—"

"Why should I believe any lie coming of your mouth, human?"

"Vision, what the hell?" Pietro silently hissed behind them.

The male witch named Vision let Y/n go when Pietro pushed him off her. "Piet? You're one of them?"

"We've got to hurry—"

"Avengers!" Someone shouted through the air, causing a loud commotion as Deviants had awaken.

Y/n immediately ducked the three of them when three flying daggers almost hit their heads, going through the tree trunks behind of them instead. "Stay low and get the others to safety, Piet," Y/n ordered.

Pietro nodded as he led the other witches out from their cells, Vision following him behind with hesitation. Hopefully, he wouldn't cause any more trouble to the group.

Yelena hiding the enemies' weapons bought the Avengers some time for the others to escape and for Y/n to get to the best hiding spot where she could cover for them.

It didn't even take that long when the Deviants had already managed to get their weapons back or they seemed to have backups in hand.

Fighting then ensued.

Avengers fought against the Deviants, steel clashing against steel. Y/n stayed behind a bush as she helped. Arrows were quickly reloaded from her quiver, making its way to the targets in front of her. It was so easy, Y/n could literally smell victory when she had managed to shoot Deviants without them knowing where she was.

One of the Avengers was cornered when his sword was sent flying to the air, but Y/n was quick to hit the attacking enemy. It seemed all too good to be true.

Unaware that one of the Deviants had already found her hiding place, Y/n was not fast to avoid the dagger that went to her sides.

The human staggered backwards as she looked at the weapon lodged into her, slowly getting away from the enemy. Her only weapon fell from her clutch. But the Deviant only laughed, managing to corner her before taking the dagger off from her body. Like a wine bottle being unscrewed open, blood erupted from her skin, the blinding pain shooting through Y/n's entire body almost instantly.

That's a weird sensation, Y/n thought, her hand gripping the wound tight as she eventually fell to the ground.

Down her mask went and the Deviant abruptly stopped on his tracks, as if suddenly consumed with fear upon recognizing her face.

Another Deviant made an appearance behind him, wondering what was taking him so long.

"What have you done?" the man asked in disbelief.

"I didn't know it was her!" the attacker argued, his voice breaking.

After a moment, the man began shouting to the group, "Fall back! Deviants, fall back!"

Avengers were left in confusion as the retreating Deviants hurriedly left the area.

Pietro immediately went looking for Y/n, who he found already sprawling on the ground just a minute later, bleeding to death.

Kneeling before her, his hand instinctively went to put pressure on her wound as he tried to stop the bleeding. It was as if she was cut open for the amount of blood coming out of her.

"Y/n, hey, look at me," Pietro slapped her face, the human already losing consciousness. "Wake up, Y/n!"

With wide eyes upon seeing his friend sputtering blood from her mouth, he then began screaming for help.

WANDA hadn't slept since her brother left, waiting anxiously at the camp's entrance or in her brother's tent for their return. When one of humans suggested for her to get some sleep, she finally relented. She also couldn't handle another minute listening to Layla gossip about how Y/n courted her.

However, sleep didn't come naturally. Tossing and turning on her bed, she groaned in frustration, her mind filled with fake scenarios of Pietro getting hurt. Then came Y/n's face — her annoyingly adorable pretty face.

When Pietro told her about Y/n's family and that they were killed by witches like her, she couldn't extinguish the guilt she felt. Y/n was no different than Wanda and Pietro, yet Y/n was still nice to her. And if something happened to her during the mission, Wanda wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

Wanda didn't mean anything she had said to the human. Of course, Y/n was capable to fight and defend herself and the group. But why was Wanda still worried?

Wanda was able to get probably half an hour of sleep when she woke up suddenly to the sound of a commotion outside her tent.

When she hurriedly barged outside, Pietro was about to enter his own tent.

"Piet!" she called, making the twin look at her. She immediately ran towards him, arms looping around for a hug.

It was early dawn when the Avengers had returned safely to the camp. Or so Wanda thought before she pulled away from the hug and noticed the blood on her brother's tunic.

"Are you okay? You're bleeding." Wanda further checked to assess the damage but Pietro wasn't flinching at all. He held Wanda's wrists to stop her.

"It's not mine, sis," was all he said, his voice deflated.

"What do you mean it's not yours?"

Pietro hesitated for a moment, but Wanda knew her brother as if she could read his mind.

"Where's Y/n?"

"Wands, she's—"

But Wanda was already making her way towards the nurse's tent without waiting for a reply, Pietro calling and running after her.

The moment Wanda saw Y/n being tended by Pepper inside the tent, which was also filled with other injured individuals, she felt like fainting on the spot. She didn't know why a human could affect her this much.

Maybe Y/n had warmed her way into the witch's heart after all.

Wanda released a breath she didn't realize she was holding when she saw Y/n's chest rise and fall. Relief flooded her.

The witch instinctively went inside, just to be there for the normie, only to be stopped by someone with blonde hair she recognized as one of Y/n's friends or girlfriends.

"Visitors are not allowed inside while Pepper is at work," she warned.

"Is she going to be okay?" Wanda asked, worried.

"Y/n is a tough one," she replied, her voice softening. "Yeah, I think she'll be just fine. Your name's Wanda, right?"

Wanda could only nod, her eyes not straying away from you.

"I'm Yelena, Y/n's best friend. She told me a lot about you."

Her eyes averted to the blonde. "She did?"

Yelena smiled. "Yeah, she said you have the most angelic voice she has ever heard, maybe you could come sing during dinner serenades at the pavilion."

Wanda's heart rate accelerated as her face blushed. She was thankful that it was still dark, for it would have been too obvious.

When Wanda saw Pepper perform something more like a spell, she gasped in wonder. "Is Pepper a—"

Yelena nodded yes without waiting for her to finish.

Wanda had no idea Pepper was a witch. And if Y/n trusted a witch to be the healer of the entire camp, Wanda should also trust that not all humans were as ruthless as the Deviants.

MEANWHILE, in one of the Deviants' headquarters, a tall man with long dark hair was found eyeing the dark forest ahead the murky vast glass window. The place had a strange aura emanating towards the surroundings, with dead trees circling outside as if the soil was cursed and anything within reach would only succumb to death. Black crows were perched on dry twigs, watching the gates before them, acting either as guards or spies.

"I'm so sorry, Master, I didn't know it was her, it was all too fast," someone behind the man spoke in a hurry. The man, master, only let out a long sigh as he finally turned to look at the source. The accused man was kneeling before him, head bowed down just to avoid his eyes.

The master only pursed his lips, looking left to right, followers standing in front of him trembling in fear. After a moment, he said, "It's okay."

All the Deviants looked at him, confused. Until he went on further, "It's not your fault you're stupid."

Then he signaled to the one beside the kneeling man to proceed. The follower didn't hesitate another second before slicing the head off the sinned man with his sword.

Taglist: @bibliophilicbi @swiftie1-0-1 @whitewidowsbite @aliherreraaa

Author's note:

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[bloggedanon]

People are out here arguing that gatekeeping cpunk from people is actually perfectly fine because able-bodied ND people have mad- and neuropunk and that's "perfectly fine" with them and it's actually annoying as fuck imo, large explanation under the cut I forgot to add originally

• First of all, try to tell me that physically disabled people are mentally perfectly fine and have never had their mental health compromised as a result of their physical disability. Just try, I'll wait. Just like how I'm waiting to hear about "able-bodied" ND people not having any physical issues purely as a result of being ND.

• Secondly, that doesn't make gatekeeping with the mad- and neuropunk communities okay EITHER, even IF the first bullet SOMEHOW happens to be true. The separatist mind-body dichotomy is predicated in entirely false pretenses. The experiences between the physically and mentally disabled communities have SO much overlap. One "form" of disability is not inherently more or less disabling than another, that's down to the individual(s) and their conditions. A lot of either "form" can restrict people's abilities to perform a lot of the same tasks regardless of what the tasks may be or what "form" of disability is responsible for it. A lot of medical conditions (and systemic ableism) can produce a whole lot of symptoms that present like mental disorders.

• In the same vein, we DO have to acknowledge that some people have their disabilities affect them in ways that not everyone experiences. The experience of having a psychotic break isn't comparable to the experience of being wheelchair-bound. But neither is the experience of being a low support needs autistic that can function independently and being a high support needs autistic who can't bathe or dress independently and will need lifelong supervision, and this is just two examples of the same disorder! A person who's chronically bedbound isn't going to have a comparable experience to a Deaf-Blind individual, even if they both wind up with lifelong caretaking requirements. If we can acknowledge that experiences in the mentally disabled and physically disabled communities aren't going to be universal even WITHIN our own communities and we don't turn to separatists about it, what makes the physical and mentally disables communities as wholes any different?

• This one's the big one, and I see it a lot, you guys really need to learn what punk actually means. PUNK isn't about the "by X group and for X group" mindset at all. It's not about "X group of people vs X group of people." It's a community of people who are standing together against a SYSTEM. It's about highlighting society's wrongs and shouting about it, and trying to enact change in whatever way we can. Its praxis is just activism. You don't have to be black to stand with the Black community and fight for their rights, and fight systemic racism. You don't have to be a woman to be a feminist, and fight the patriarchy. You don't have to be queer to get down in the trenches with them and fight queerphobia (allies still get bottles 'n shit thrown at them regardless). You don't have to be disabled to stand against systemic ableism. You don't have to be the direct target of systemic oppression, or specific, targeted systemic microaggressions to fight it.

What punk is is getting down in the thick of oppression right alongside those who have to deal with it as a concrete force in their daily lives and being right next to them when shit hits the fan, fighting the same fight they are, and taking the blows as if you were one of them, because to those who want to perpetuate it, you might as well be. Anyone can be an ally, and allyship IS what punk is, just as much as being a member of a targeted group fighting for their rights. Systemic oppression doesn't care about the nuances when it lines us all up against the wall, and our infighting is doing its job for it. The second we start singling out groups of people for their identities is when we've already lost. Anyone standing up against these sytems is punk.

Anyone GATEKEEPING a punk movement isn't a punk, they're a fucking poser. A cop. A fed, even, because there are no cops at punk.

Can you have specific communities OF [x people with x identity and experiences], by and for that group by definition, to discuss their specific experiences unique to their situation(s)? Sure! Just don't do any fakeclaiming in the gatekeeping, mmk?

And don't you DARE call it fucking punk.

[taytjiefourie]

How to Outline a Novel

Hi there, Darlings! I'm excited to dive into the fascinating world of outlining a novel with you today. Don't worry, we won't be here as long as you might think. So, let's get started and have some fun!

Note: this is a longish post and relies on my preferences and experience.

When it comes to outlining your story, you may hear some people insist that the more detail, the better. However, let's be real, we don't want to get bogged down with trivial details like how the trash is being disposed of in our fantasy world, right?

No way, we're all too busy to devote that much time and energy to it! Personally, I have two versions of an outline that I like to use. The first is a basic outline, which works well for stories set in a world similar to our own, or stories that draw from existing myths or legends like Supernatural, Paranormal or Greek Mythology.

The second outline is a bit more detailed, but don't worry, it's not as complicated as some people make it out to be. Since creating a unique Fantasy or Sci-Fi world requires a bit more thought, this outline helps you add in those extra details without overwhelming you. To use it, you'll start with the basic outline, and then add some additional information to create the more detailed version.

In this blog post, I'll be sharing some insights into why certain elements are essential in your outline (for those who love to write but don't know all the 'why's' when it comes to certain things), and how they can make a huge impact on both your writing process and the readers who pick up your book. And don't worry, I've got you covered at the end with a summarized version of each outline - minus all the extra details - so you can simply copy and paste it for your own use.

Without further ado, let's dive in and start with the basics of outlining your novel!

I hope you've got a tiny inkling of what your story might be about - whether it's a character with a vague purpose, an antagonist with an unclear hero, or even just a cool world with no plot in mind yet. Whatever it may be, it's totally okay to start with just a little dot of information. The important thing is that you've got something to work with!

Book Information.

Starting a novel can be a daunting task, but having the right information can make a world of difference. Let's go over the three key aspects you should consider before diving in: Genre, Trope, and Target Audience.

First up is Genre, which is the category or type of book your story fits into. Once you've picked your genre, you can explore the different tropes that are commonly used within it. A trope is a recurring literary device or theme that helps readers understand the story and its themes.

By combining your chosen genre and tropes, you can begin to define your Target Audience. This is the group of readers who are most likely to enjoy your story based on its genre and themes. It's important to remember that you don't have to stick to just one genre or trope, and that exploring multiple options can help you find the perfect combination for your story.

Genre:

Choosing the right genre for a book is super important because it gives readers a sense of what to expect in terms of plot, themes, tone, and style. Think of genres as categories that books fall into based on their subject matter, writing style, and intended audience. For instance, a mystery novel is all about solving a crime or puzzle, while a romance novel is all about lovey-dovey relationships.

Knowing a book's genre can be helpful for readers who are searching for stories that interest them. Plus, it can help publishers and booksellers market and sell books to the right audience. For writers, it's helpful to stick within the conventions of a genre while still adding their own unique perspective.

All in all, genres make life easier for everyone involved in the book world, from writers to readers to publishers. They help us understand the style and content of a book and make communication and engagement between authors and audiences so much smoother!

With so many genres to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is right for your story. But don't worry, I'm here to help! Let me give you a quick rundown of some of the most popular genres out there and how they can shape your story:

Romance Plot: Focuses on the development of a romantic relationship between two characters. Theme: Love, passion, and relationships. Tone: Emotionally charged, often with elements of humor or drama. Style: Emphasizes character development and emotional depth.

Mystery Plot: Involves a crime or puzzle that needs to be solved. Theme: Crime, justice, and the human psyche. Tone: Suspenseful and atmospheric, often with a dark or gritty tone. Style: Tightly plotted, with clues and red herrings that keep readers guessing.

Science Fiction Plot: Often involves futuristic or speculative elements, such as space travel, aliens, or advanced technology. Theme: Exploration, innovation, and the impact of technology on society. Tone: Can be serious or lighthearted, depending on the focus of the story. Style: Imaginative and creative, with an emphasis on world-building and scientific accuracy.

Fantasy Plot: Often involves a magical or supernatural world, with mythical creatures and/or magical powers. Theme: Good versus evil, heroism, and the power of imagination. Tone: Can be dark or lighthearted, depending on the focus of the story. Style: Richly detailed and descriptive, with an emphasis on world-building and creating a sense of wonder.

Historical Fiction Plot: Set in a specific time period in history, often with real historical figures and events. Theme: The human experience and the impact of history on individuals and society. Tone: Often serious and thought-provoking, with an emphasis on authenticity. Style: Meticulously researched and detailed, with an emphasis on historical accuracy and atmosphere.

Thriller Plot: Typically involves high stakes, danger, and tension, with a focus on action and suspense. Theme: Danger, survival, and morality. Tone: Tense and exciting, with a sense of urgency and danger. Style: Fast-paced and plot-driven, with a focus on action and suspense.

Horror Plot: Focuses on creating a sense of fear, dread, or terror in the reader. Theme: Fear, darkness, and the unknown. Tone: Dark and ominous, with elements of terror and suspense. Style: Often graphic and unsettling, with a focus on atmospheric setting and vivid descriptions of gore or violence.

Young Adult (YA) Plot: Typically features teenage protagonists dealing with coming-of-age issues, such as identity, relationships, and personal growth. Theme: Identity, belonging, and the transition to adulthood. Tone: Often earnest and emotional, with a focus on relatable characters and experiences. Style: Accessible and engaging, with a focus on character development and relatable themes.

Literary Fiction Plot: Emphasizes character development and exploration of ideas, often without a clear plot-driven structure. Theme: Human experience, social issues, and the complexities of life. Tone: Serious and contemplative, with an emphasis on emotional depth and complexity. Style: Often stylistically experimental or unconventional, with a focus on character psychology and introspection.

Comedy Plot: Emphasizes humor and satire, often with a focus on exaggerated characters and situations. Theme: Laughter, joy, and the absurdity of life. Tone: Light and comedic, with an emphasis on humor and wit. Style: Often fast-paced and filled with witty banter and humorous observations.

Western Plot: Set in the American West during the 19th century, often with a focus on cowboys, outlaws, and frontier life. Theme: Courage, survival, and rugged individualism. Tone: Rustic and tough, with an emphasis on adventure and action. Style: Often descriptive and atmospheric, with a focus on the unique landscape and culture of the American West.

Dystopian Plot: Set in a society or world that has become dark, oppressive, or dysfunctional, often as a result of a catastrophic event. Theme: Freedom, rebellion, and the dangers of totalitarianism. Tone: Bleak and pessimistic, with an emphasis on the dangers of conformity and control. Style: Often atmospheric and descriptive, with a focus on world-building and the exploration of dystopian themes.

Sub-Genre:

As a writer, you've probably heard of sub-genres before. They're like categories or subcategories within a broader genre, based on specific themes, settings, plot elements, or writing style. These sub-genres help to further define and categorize works of literature within a broader genre, making it easier for readers to find books that align with their interests.

For example, in the broad genre of science fiction, there are many different sub-genres like cyberpunk, space opera, hard science fiction, and more. Each sub-genre has its own unique characteristics and themes that differentiate it from other types of science fiction. Likewise, in the genre of mystery, there are sub-genres like cozy mysteries, police procedurals, and psychological thrillers, each with its distinct elements and themes.

Romance

Historical romance: These stories are set in the past and often explore themes of social norms and historical events. They can be sweeping epics or more intimate love stories, and the writing style can be more formal or descriptive.

Contemporary romance: Set in the present day, these stories often explore modern relationships, dating, and career aspirations. They can be light and funny or emotional and dramatic, with a more conversational and informal writing style.

Paranormal romance: These stories feature supernatural elements like vampires, werewolves, and witches. They can explore forbidden love, good versus evil, and the challenges of having supernatural abilities. The tone can be dark and moody or romantic and sexy, and the writing style often includes descriptive world-building.

Romantic suspense: Combining romance and suspense, these stories often involve a heroine in danger who is protected by a hero. They can be fast-paced and action-packed, with a tense and dramatic tone and a plot-driven writing style.

Inspirational romance: These stories often explore themes of faith, redemption, and personal growth. They can involve characters overcoming obstacles and finding hope in their beliefs, with an uplifting and hopeful tone and a focus on character development and inner dialogue.

Erotic romance: These stories feature explicit sexual content and explore themes of passion and desire. They can involve characters exploring their sexuality and forming intense emotional connections, with a sensual and steamy tone and a descriptive and graphic writing style.

LGBTQ+ romance: These stories feature same-sex or non-binary relationships and explore themes of identity, acceptance, and overcoming societal norms. They can be heartfelt and emotional, with a writing style that varies depending on the sub-genre (like historical, contemporary, or paranormal).

Western romance: These stories are set in the American West and often involve cowboys, ranchers, and outlaws. They can explore themes of rugged individualism, adventure, and romance, with a rugged and outdoorsy tone and a writing style that includes descriptive landscapes and dialect.

Fantasy romance: These stories combine elements of fantasy and romance and often involve mythical creatures, magic, and epic journeys. They can explore forbidden love, quests, and battles between good and evil, with a sweeping and grand tone and a writing style that includes descriptive world-building.

Multicultural romance: These stories feature characters from diverse cultural backgrounds and explore themes of identity, family, and tradition. They can involve characters navigating cultural differences and forming deep connections, with a sensitive and heartfelt tone and a writing style that varies depending on the sub-genre (like historical or contemporary).

Mystery

Cozy Mystery: Cozy mysteries are often set in small, quaint towns or villages, and feature an amateur sleuth who solves a murder or series of murders. The tone is light and often humorous, with a focus on character and relationships rather than graphic violence or sex.

Police Procedural: Police procedurals focus on the investigation process of a crime, and often feature a professional law enforcement detective as the main character. The plot is driven by the methods used to solve the crime, and the tone is often gritty and realistic.

Hard-Boiled Mystery: Hard-boiled mysteries feature tough, cynical detectives who operate outside of the law to solve crimes. The tone is dark and gritty, with a focus on violence and corruption.

Historical Mystery: Historical mysteries are set in the past and often feature famous historical figures or events as part of the plot. The tone is often atmospheric, with a focus on the historical setting and culture.

Amateur Sleuth: Amateur sleuth mysteries feature a non-professional detective as the main character, such as a journalist, librarian, or chef. The tone is often lighthearted and cozy, with a focus on the amateur detective's unique skills and abilities.

Legal Thriller: Legal thrillers often involve legal proceedings or courtroom drama as part of the plot. The main character is often a lawyer or judge, and the tone is often intense and suspenseful.

Noir: Noir mysteries are characterized by their dark and pessimistic tone, with flawed characters and morally ambiguous situations. The focus is on the psychological aspects of crime, rather than the procedural.

Romantic Suspense: Romantic suspense combines elements of both romance and mystery, with a focus on the relationship between the main characters as well as the suspenseful plot.

Whodunit: Whodunit mysteries are characterized by their focus on the puzzle-like aspect of solving a crime, with a twist ending revealing the identity of the culprit. The tone is often light and playful, with a focus on the clues and red herrings that lead up to the solution.

Science Fiction.

Cyberpunk: This sub-genre typically features a near-future, dystopian setting in which advanced technology has both empowered and oppressed society. The tone is often gritty and dark, with a focus on the impact of technology on human identity.

Space Opera: This sub-genre is characterized by grand-scale adventures and space battles set in a future where humanity has colonized the galaxy. The tone is often adventurous and heroic, with an emphasis on world-building and exploration.

Post-Apocalyptic: This sub-genre is set in a world after a major catastrophe or disaster, and focuses on the struggle for survival and rebuilding of society. The tone is often bleak and pessimistic, with themes of isolation, desperation, and survival.

Alternate History: This sub-genre explores what would happen if key historical events had played out differently, resulting in a different present-day world. The tone and themes can vary widely depending on the point of divergence in history.

Hard Science Fiction: This sub-genre emphasizes scientific accuracy and plausibility in its exploration of speculative concepts and technologies. The tone can vary, but often has a focus on problem-solving and logical deduction.

Time Travel: This sub-genre involves characters traveling through time to alter the course of history or prevent a catastrophic event. The tone can vary widely depending on the consequences of altering history.

Alien Invasion: This sub-genre typically features humans struggling to defend Earth from an alien invasion. The tone is often action-packed and suspenseful, with a focus on survival and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.

Steampunk: This sub-genre is set in a world where steam power is the dominant technology, often featuring Victorian-era settings and aesthetics. The tone is often adventurous and fantastical, with an emphasis on creativity and innovation.

Military Science Fiction: This sub-genre typically involves soldiers and military units in futuristic settings, often featuring advanced technology and alien races. The tone is often action-packed and focused on combat and strategy.

Biopunk: This sub-genre explores the implications of biotechnology and genetic engineering, often featuring genetic modification of organisms or humans. The tone can be dark and cautionary, with themes of ethics and control.

Cyberprep: This sub-genre is a hybrid of cyberpunk and preppy fashion, featuring high-tech and high-fashion elements in a futuristic setting. The tone can be lighthearted and satirical, with a focus on fashion and style.

Space Western: This sub-genre combines science fiction and Western themes, often featuring space cowboys and frontier settlements on distant planets. The tone is often adventurous and action-packed, with a focus on individualism and freedom.

Slipstream: This sub-genre blends elements of science fiction with surrealism, often featuring strange or unexplained phenomena. The tone can be dreamlike and ambiguous, with a focus on atmosphere and mood.

New Wave: This sub-genre emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, featuring experimental and avant-garde styles and themes. The tone can be unconventional and challenging, with a focus on literary techniques and subversion of traditional science fiction tropes.

Mundane Science Fiction: This sub-genre emphasizes realism and plausibility in its exploration of near-future technology and societal developments. The tone is often introspective and critical, with a focus on the impact of technology on everyday life.

Fantasy

High Fantasy/Epic Fantasy: This sub-genre is characterized by a richly developed fictional world, often with its own history, geography, and mythology. The plot often centers on a hero's journey or quest to save the world or defeat evil. The tone is often grand and epic, with a focus on magic, destiny, and larger-than-life conflicts.

Urban Fantasy: This sub-genre is set in a contemporary, urban setting, often featuring supernatural elements like vampires, werewolves, and witches. The tone can be dark and gritty, with a focus on action, suspense, and the clash between the supernatural and the mundane.

Historical Fantasy: This sub-genre is set in a historical period, often featuring elements of magic and the supernatural. The tone can be romantic and atmospheric, with a focus on historical accuracy as well as fantastical elements.

Fairy Tale Retellings: This sub-genre reimagines classic fairy tales with new twists and perspectives. The tone can range from whimsical to dark and brooding, with a focus on themes of transformation and the power of storytelling.

Mythic Fantasy: This sub-genre draws on elements of myth and folklore, often featuring gods, goddesses, and other supernatural beings. The tone can be mystical and spiritual, with a focus on themes of destiny, fate, and the search for meaning.

Dark Fantasy: This sub-genre often features supernatural or horror elements, and may have a bleak or nihilistic tone. The plot can involve antiheroes or morally ambiguous characters, and may explore themes of power, corruption, and redemption.

Portal Fantasy: This sub-genre involves characters who travel between different worlds or dimensions, often featuring a contrast between the magical and the mundane. The tone can be adventurous and whimsical, with a focus on exploration and discovery.

Sword and Sorcery: This sub-genre features heroes who are skilled with weapons and magic, often set in a medieval-inspired world. The tone can be action-packed and swashbuckling, with a focus on adventure, combat, and daring exploits.

Comic Fantasy: This sub-genre combines elements of fantasy and humor, often featuring absurd or satirical elements. The tone is often lighthearted and comedic, with a focus on wordplay, satire, and parody.

Paranormal Romance: This sub-genre combines elements of romance and fantasy, often featuring supernatural love interests like vampires or werewolves. The tone can be romantic and steamy, with a focus on passion, desire, and forbidden love.

Steampunk Fantasy: This sub-genre is set in a world where steam power and clockwork technology are the norm. The plot often involves a mix of adventure, science fiction, and fantasy elements. The tone is often gritty and industrial, and the style is characterized by a Victorian aesthetic and the use of intricate machinery.

Contemporary Fantasy: This sub-genre takes place in the present day and features magic and fantastical elements that coexist with the mundane world. The plot often involves characters discovering or coming to terms with their magical abilities. The tone is often lighthearted, and the style is characterized by blending magic and realism.

Magical Realism: This sub-genre blends elements of the fantastical with the ordinary, creating a world where magic is a natural part of everyday life. The plot often explores the intersection between the magical and the real, with characters struggling to make sense of their extraordinary experiences. The tone is often dreamlike, and the style is characterized by richly descriptive prose.

Historical Fiction.

Historical romance: Set in a specific historical period, the plot centers on a romantic relationship between characters. The theme may focus on societal expectations, class differences, or political intrigue. The tone is usually romantic, with elements of drama and tension. The style emphasizes historical accuracy and details, such as costumes, settings, and dialogue.

Alternate history: The plot imagines an alternate version of history, where events unfold differently from what actually happened. The theme may explore the consequences of different choices or highlight how different societies might have evolved. The tone can range from serious to playful, depending on the author's intent. The style often emphasizes world-building, creating a detailed and believable alternate reality.

Historical fantasy: Combining elements of historical fiction and fantasy, this subgenre often involves magical or supernatural elements. The plot may center on a quest or adventure set in a specific historical period, with magical or mythical creatures and events. The theme often explores the intersection of history and fantasy, highlighting how beliefs and legends shape society. The tone can be fantastical or historical, depending on the balance of elements. The style often emphasizes world-building, creating a fully realized alternate reality.

Historical mystery: Set in a specific historical period, the plot centers on a mystery that must be solved by the protagonist. The theme may explore social or political issues of the time, and the tone is often suspenseful and dramatic. The style often emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of daily life and societal norms of the period.

Historical adventure: The plot centers on a thrilling adventure set in a specific historical period, often involving exploration, battles, or other daring escapades. The theme may explore themes of heroism, duty, or sacrifice, and the tone is often action-packed and exciting. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of weapons, clothing, and other cultural aspects of the period.

Historical drama: The plot centers on the emotional and personal struggles of characters living in a specific historical period. The theme may explore issues of social justice, morality, or individualism, and the tone is often serious and introspective. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of the characters' lives and the period's cultural norms.

Biographical historical fiction: The plot is based on the life of a historical figure, often imagining details that are not known or not recorded. The theme may explore the motivations and struggles of the individual or highlight the cultural and political context of the time. The tone can be serious or light-hearted, depending on the focus of the story. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, often using primary sources to create a realistic portrayal of the individual's life and times.

Historical horror: Combining elements of horror and historical fiction, this subgenre often involves supernatural or mystical elements set in a specific historical period. The plot may center on a curse or a haunted location, with the theme often exploring how historical beliefs and legends shape modern fears. The tone is often eerie and unsettling, and the style emphasizes historical accuracy and the use of atmospheric details to create a sense of dread.

Historical romance mystery: This subgenre combines elements of historical romance and historical mystery, often involving a romantic relationship that is threatened or complicated by a mystery or crime. The theme may explore social or political issues of the time, and the tone is often suspenseful and romantic. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of daily life and societal norms of the period.

War fiction: Set during a specific historical conflict, the plot centers on the experiences of soldiers, civilians, or others affected by the war. The theme may explore issues of sacrifice, duty, and morality, and the tone is often gritty and realistic. The style emphasizes historical accuracy, highlighting the details of weaponry, battles,

Thriller

Psychological thriller - The plot revolves around the mental and emotional states of the characters, often featuring unreliable narrators, unexpected plot twists, and intense psychological tension. Themes may include mental illness, trauma, and the dark side of human nature. The tone is usually suspenseful and ominous.

Crime thriller - These stories focus on a crime, often a murder, and the investigation that follows. The plot typically involves a detective or law enforcement officer trying to solve the crime and bring the perpetrator to justice. Themes may include corruption, justice, and morality. The tone can range from gritty and dark to fast-paced and action-packed.

Spy thriller - The plot involves espionage, secret agents, and international intrigue. The themes may include politics, espionage, and espionage. The tone is usually suspenseful and fast-paced, with high stakes and intense action scenes.

Legal thriller - These stories focus on lawyers and legal proceedings, often involving a courtroom drama. The plot typically involves a lawyer working to uncover the truth and bring justice to a case. Themes may include justice, ethics, and the law. The tone is usually suspenseful and dramatic.

Techno-thriller - This sub-genre combines elements of science fiction and thriller, often featuring technology as a major plot point. The plot typically involves a threat to society or the world that can only be resolved through the use of advanced technology. Themes may include artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, and technological advancement. The tone is usually fast-paced and action-packed.

Action thriller - These stories are heavy on action and may include elements of crime, espionage, or terrorism. The plot typically involves a protagonist fighting against a powerful antagonist or organization. Themes may include heroism, justice, and revenge. The tone is usually fast-paced and full of action scenes.

Historical thriller - The plot is set in a historical period and involves mystery, intrigue, and danger. Themes may include historical events, social issues, and politics. The tone is usually atmospheric and suspenseful.

Disaster thriller - The plot typically involves a natural disaster or catastrophic event, and the characters must fight to survive. Themes may include survival, human nature, and the fragility of society. The tone is usually tense and suspenseful.

Medical thriller - These stories involve medical professionals, diseases, and medical research. The plot typically involves a medical crisis that threatens the lives of many people. Themes may include medical ethics, science, and the nature of life and death. The tone can range from intense and suspenseful to thoughtful and introspective.

Horror thriller - This sub-genre combines elements of horror and thriller, often featuring supernatural or paranormal elements. The plot typically involves a protagonist facing off against a powerful and evil force. Themes may include fear, death, and the supernatural. The tone is usually dark and terrifying.

Horror

Supernatural horror - This sub-genre involves supernatural elements such as ghosts, demons, and witches. The plot typically revolves around an evil presence that haunts or possesses individuals or places. Themes often involve the struggle between good and evil, the afterlife, and the supernatural world. The tone can be eerie, unsettling, or frightening. The style can include vivid descriptions of supernatural events or paranormal activity.

Psychological horror - This sub-genre focuses on the psychological aspects of fear, anxiety, and mental breakdowns. The plot may involve a character's descent into madness, paranoia, or obsession. Themes can explore the limits of the human mind, the duality of human nature, and the fragility of sanity. The tone can be disturbing, disorienting, or unsettling. The style can include introspective narration, unreliable narrators, or surreal imagery.

Slasher horror - This sub-genre involves a serial killer or a group of killers who hunt down and murder their victims. The plot often revolves around a group of people who are trapped or isolated with the killer, such as a group of teenagers in a cabin in the woods. Themes can explore the fear of death, survival instincts, and the consequences of violence. The tone can be intense, gory, or suspenseful. The style can include graphic violence, jump scares, and tense chase scenes.

Gothic horror - This sub-genre is characterized by dark, atmospheric settings, such as abandoned castles, haunted mansions, and ancient ruins. The plot typically involves supernatural or mysterious occurrences, such as curses, ghosts, or ancient evils. Themes can explore the corruption of power, the dangers of obsession, and the struggle between rationality and superstition. The tone can be melancholic, oppressive, or ominous. The style can include ornate language, archaic settings, and romanticized descriptions.

Body horror - This sub-genre focuses on the physical horror of bodily transformation or mutilation. The plot may involve diseases, mutations, or body horror caused by technology. Themes can explore the limits of the human body, the dangers of scientific progress, and the horror of physical transformation. The tone can be grotesque, revolting, or terrifying. The style can include vivid descriptions of bodily horror, visceral imagery, and medical terminology.

Literary Fiction

Historical Literary Fiction: This sub-genre is characterized by a focus on historical events and figures, with an emphasis on the emotions and inner lives of the characters. The plot is often driven by the characters' personal struggles and relationships, rather than by external events. Themes in historical literary fiction often explore the impact of history on the individual and the human condition. The tone can be reflective, nostalgic, and introspective, and the style is often lyrical and descriptive.

Contemporary Literary Fiction: This sub-genre focuses on the present-day world, with a focus on realistic and complex characters and their relationships. The plot often centers around the characters' struggles with personal issues and societal problems, with an emphasis on character development and introspection. Themes can vary widely but often explore the human experience in contemporary society. The tone can be serious, contemplative, or satirical, and the style is often characterized by literary devices such as metaphor, symbolism, and stream of consciousness.

Experimental Literary Fiction: This sub-genre is characterized by an unconventional approach to narrative structure, language, and form. The plot can be non-linear or fragmented, and the themes may be abstract or philosophical. The tone and style can vary widely but often aim to challenge the reader's expectations and push the boundaries of traditional storytelling.

Multi-Cultural Literary Fiction: This sub-genre explores the experiences and perspectives of characters from diverse cultural backgrounds. The plot may focus on the challenges of living between cultures or on the intersection of different cultural identities. Themes often explore issues of identity, belonging, and cultural heritage. The tone can be serious, humorous, or satirical, and the style is often characterized by rich descriptions of cultural traditions and practices.

Metafiction: This sub-genre is characterized by a self-referential approach to storytelling, with the author drawing attention to the construction of the narrative itself. The plot may involve characters who are aware of their existence within a fictional world or who interact with the author. Themes often explore the nature of fiction, reality, and the relationship between author and reader. The tone and style can be playful, ironic, or philosophical.

Psychological Literary Fiction: This sub-genre focuses on the psychological development and inner lives of the characters. The plot may center around the characters' struggles with mental illness, trauma, or personal crises. Themes often explore the nature of the human mind and emotions, and the impact of past experiences on the present. The tone can be introspective, haunting, or disturbing, and the style is often characterized by vivid descriptions of the characters' psychological states.

Postmodern Literary Fiction: This sub-genre is characterized by a skeptical attitude toward grand narratives and an interest in the fragmentation and deconstruction of meaning. The plot may be non-linear or fragmented, and the themes may explore the breakdown of societal norms and values. The tone and style can be playful, ironic, or satirical, and the style often incorporates elements of popular culture and intertextuality.

Comedy

Romantic Comedy: A humorous story focused on a romantic relationship between the main characters. The plot often includes obstacles that the couple must overcome in order to be together. The tone is light-hearted and the style is witty and charming.

Satire: A story that uses humor to criticize social or political issues. The plot often involves exaggerated or absurd situations and characters. The theme is often social commentary or critique of certain practices. The tone can be biting or ironic, and the style is often sharp and clever.

Farce: A comedic story that relies heavily on physical humor, improbable situations, and mistaken identities. The plot is often fast-paced and chaotic, and the tone is over-the-top and exaggerated. The style is often slapstick and absurd.

Parody: A story that imitates the style or conventions of another work in order to make fun of it. The plot is often a tongue-in-cheek version of the original story, with exaggerated or nonsensical elements. The tone can be mocking or affectionate, and the style often mimics the original work.

Dark Comedy: A story that uses humor to address serious or taboo subjects, such as death, disease, or crime. The plot often involves characters in bleak or macabre situations, and the humor is often edgy and uncomfortable. The tone is often ironic or sardonic, and the style can be morbid or irreverent.

Comedy of Manners: A story that satirizes the social behavior and customs of a particular group or class of people. The plot often involves witty banter and subtle social cues, and the humor is often sophisticated and intellectual. The tone is often dry or understated, and the style is elegant and refined.

Comic Fantasy: A story that combines humor with elements of fantasy or science fiction. The plot often involves fantastical or absurd elements, and the humor can be whimsical or silly. The tone is often light-hearted and playful, and the style can be fanciful or imaginative.

Black Comedy: A story that uses humor to explore dark or taboo subjects, such as death, crime, or mental illness. The plot often involves characters in extreme or disturbing situations, and the humor is often irreverent or gallows. The tone can be bleak or nihilistic, and the style is often daring or provocative.

Absurdist Comedy: A story that uses humor to explore the meaninglessness or irrationality of human existence. The plot often involves surreal or absurd situations, and the humor can be nonsensical or absurd. The tone is often detached or alienated, and the style can be experimental or avant-garde.

Western

Classic Western: The plot usually revolves around a conflict between good and evil, often involving cowboys, Native Americans, and lawmen. The themes are typically centered around justice, honor, and self-reliance. The tone is often serious and gritty, and the style is straightforward and unadorned.

Western Romance: The plot revolves around a romantic relationship between two main characters set against the backdrop of the American West. The themes typically involve love, commitment, and the challenges of living in a rugged and unpredictable environment. The tone is often romantic and sentimental, and the style is descriptive and emotionally expressive.

Western Adventure: The plot involves an exciting and dangerous journey or quest undertaken by the main characters, often set in the wilderness or on the frontier. The themes are usually centered around courage, perseverance, and survival. The tone is often action-packed and suspenseful, and the style is fast-paced and visually descriptive.

Weird West: This sub-genre blends elements of Western fiction with supernatural or science-fiction elements, often set in an alternative or fantastical version of the American West. The themes typically involve the clash between the natural and the supernatural, as well as the exploration of the human psyche. The tone is often dark and unsettling, and the style is imaginative and evocative.

Western Noir: This sub-genre features the classic noir elements such as crime, corruption, and moral ambiguity, set in a Western setting. The themes often explore the dark side of human nature, including greed, violence, and betrayal. The tone is typically bleak and cynical, and the style is atmospheric and evocative.

Spaghetti Western: This sub-genre originated in Italy and is characterized by its stylized and exaggerated depictions of violence and action, often set in the American West. The themes typically involve revenge, justice, and survival, and the tone is often highly dramatic and operatic. The style is visually stunning, with striking landscapes, vivid colors, and innovative camera work.

Dystopian

Post-Apocalyptic Dystopia: In this sub-genre, the world as we know it has ended, and society has collapsed. The plot often centers around the characters' struggle for survival in a world where resources are scarce and danger lurks around every corner. Themes include the consequences of environmental disaster, the dangers of unchecked technology, and the importance of community in times of crisis. Tone is often bleak, but there can also be moments of hope and resilience. Style can be gritty and realistic or more imaginative and surreal.

Utopian/Dystopian Hybrid: This sub-genre features a world that appears to be a utopia on the surface but hides a darker side. The plot often revolves around a protagonist who uncovers the dark underbelly of the supposedly perfect society. Themes include the dangers of conformity, the corrupting influence of power, and the importance of individuality. Tone can be both optimistic and pessimistic, with a sense of tension and unease permeating the story. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Political Dystopia: In this sub-genre, the world is ruled by an oppressive government or dictator. The plot often revolves around a protagonist or group of protagonists who rebel against the ruling powers. Themes include the dangers of totalitarianism, the importance of personal freedom and democracy, and the corrupting influence of power. Tone can be dark and somber, with a sense of urgency and danger. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Technological Dystopia: This sub-genre features a world where technology has become a threat to humanity. The plot often centers around the unintended consequences of technological advancement and the struggle to regain control. Themes include the dangers of artificial intelligence, the loss of privacy, and the importance of human connection. Tone can be both pessimistic and optimistic, with a sense of wonder and awe mixed with fear and uncertainty. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Environmental Dystopia: In this sub-genre, the world is suffering from ecological collapse. The plot often centers around the struggle to survive in a world where natural resources are scarce and the environment is toxic. Themes include the consequences of climate change, the importance of sustainable living, and the dangers of greed and short-sightedness. Tone can be both somber and hopeful, with a sense of urgency and the need for action. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Medical Dystopia: In this sub-genre, society is threatened by a deadly disease or virus. The plot often revolves around the search for a cure or vaccine and the struggle to contain the outbreak. Themes include the dangers of biological warfare, the importance of medical research and innovation, and the importance of global cooperation in times of crisis. Tone can be both tense and suspenseful, with a sense of urgency and the need for quick action. Style can be both realistic and fantastical.

Cyberpunk: This sub-genre features a dystopian future where technology has become the dominant force in society. The plot often centers around characters who are marginalized or oppressed by the ruling powers and who use technology to fight back. Themes include the dangers of unchecked capitalism, the loss of privacy, and the importance of personal freedom. Tone is often dark and gritty, with a sense of danger and rebellion. Style can be both futuristic and retro.

Steampunk: This sub-genre features a dystopian world where technology has taken a different form, with steam-powered machines and Victorian-era aesthetics. The plot often revolves around characters who are struggling against a corrupt ruling class or using technology to achieve their goals. Themes include the dangers of industrialization, the importance of individuality and creativity, and the need for social reform. Tone can be both

Tropes

Let me break down the importance of tropes in storytelling for you. Tropes are literary or storytelling devices that are commonly used in a specific genre or type of story. They can help readers identify and understand the story's themes, providing them with a sense of familiarity and expectations about the plot and characters.

For instance, in fantasy and adventure stories, the "hero's journey" is a popular trope where the protagonist embarks on a quest, faces challenges, and eventually triumphs over adversity. When used effectively, tropes can create a sense of comfort and connection between the reader and the story, while also allowing authors to explore new ideas and variations on established themes.

Tropes can also be used to subvert or challenge reader expectations, which can create a sense of surprise or intrigue. For example, a romance story that plays with the "enemies to lovers" trope by having the two characters come from opposing sides of a political conflict can create a fresh and unexpected twist on a familiar theme.

Overall, despite sometimes being viewed as cliché or overused, tropes serve an important purpose in storytelling by helping readers engage with and understand the story. Plus, they offer authors a useful framework for exploring new ideas and themes.

Romance

Enemies to Lovers - two characters who start out as adversaries or even enemies, but eventually fall in love.

Friends to Lovers - two characters who have been friends for a long time, but eventually realize their feelings for each other go beyond friendship.

Second Chance Romance - two characters who have a history together, but for various reasons, didn't work out. They get a second chance at love.

Forbidden Love - two characters who are attracted to each other but are prevented from being together due to societal or cultural constraints, such as a workplace romance or a relationship between a boss and an employee.

Fake Relationship - two characters who enter into a fake relationship for various reasons, but eventually develop real feelings for each other.

Love Triangle - two characters who compete for the affection of a third character.

Billionaire Romance - a wealthy character falls in love with someone from a different social class, creating a conflict between money and love.

Small Town Romance - two characters fall in love in a close-knit community or small town setting.

Alpha Hero - a strong, dominant male character who falls in love with a strong, independent female character.

Marriage of Convenience - two characters agree to marry for practical reasons, such as financial stability or immigration purposes, but end up falling in love.

Single Parent Romance - a character falls in love with someone who already has a child, creating a family dynamic.

Time Travel Romance - a character travels through time and falls in love with someone from a different era.

Bodyguard Romance - a character falls in love with their bodyguard, creating a dynamic of danger and protection.

Sports Romance - two characters fall in love in the context of a sports team or competition.

Beauty and the Beast - a physically unattractive character falls in love with someone who sees beyond their appearance.

Amnesia Romance - a character loses their memory and falls in love with someone who helps them regain it.

Opposites Attract - two characters who are very different fall in love, creating a dynamic of contrast.

Office Romance - two characters fall in love in the context of a workplace or office setting.

Vacation Romance - two characters fall in love while on vacation, creating a dynamic of escape and adventure.

Royalty Romance - a character falls in love with someone from a royal or aristocratic family, creating a conflict between love and social status.

Mystery

Whodunit - the main focus of the story is to discover who committed a crime.

Detective Protagonist - a detective or investigator is the main character, who solves the mystery.

Amateur Sleuth - a non-professional character who is drawn into the mystery and works to solve it.

Closed Circle - a group of people is trapped in a confined space with a murderer, forcing them to solve the mystery before they become the next victim.

Cozy Mystery - a lighthearted and humorous mystery featuring an amateur sleuth in a small town setting.

Police Procedural - a detailed look at the inner workings of a police investigation, from collecting evidence to solving the crime.

Locked Room Mystery - a murder occurs in a room that appears to be locked from the inside, leaving investigators to solve how the killer could have escaped.

Serial Killer - a story centered around a killer who has committed multiple murders and is being pursued by law enforcement.

Noir - a dark and gritty mystery with a bleak outlook, often featuring an anti-hero protagonist.

Hard-boiled - similar to noir, featuring a tough, cynical protagonist who operates outside the law to solve the mystery.

Amateur Detective Team - a group of amateur sleuths work together to solve the mystery.

Red Herring - a misleading clue or character that is intended to distract the reader and throw them off the scent of the real culprit.

Femme Fatale - a mysterious and seductive woman who often plays a central role in the mystery.

Plant - a seemingly innocuous detail or character that is later revealed to be a crucial piece of evidence.

MacGuffin - an object or concept that drives the plot, but ultimately has little importance in the resolution of the mystery.

Culprit POV - the story is told from the perspective of the killer or the criminal, creating a unique twist on the traditional mystery formula.

Protagonist Framed - the main character is framed for a crime they did not commit, forcing them to clear their name and solve the mystery.

Covert Ops - a mystery that involves espionage or intelligence gathering.

Unreliable Narrator - the story is told from the perspective of a character who may not be telling the truth, creating uncertainty and confusion for the reader.

Supernatural Mystery - a mystery that involves supernatural or paranormal elements, such as ghosts, werewolves, or vampires.

Science Fiction

Space Opera - a story that takes place in a vast and complex universe with epic battles and larger-than-life characters.

Time Travel - the ability to travel through time, either to the past or the future.

Alien Invasion - a story that revolves around an extraterrestrial invasion of Earth.

Post-Apocalyptic - a story that takes place after a catastrophic event has destroyed civilization as we know it.

Cyberpunk - a subgenre of science fiction that features a dystopian future where advanced technology has led to a breakdown of society.

Artificial Intelligence - the creation of intelligent machines that can think and reason like humans.

Colonization - a story that explores the colonization of a new planet or the colonization of Earth by extraterrestrial beings.

Galactic Empire - a vast empire that spans across multiple planets and galaxies.

Genetic Engineering - the modification of DNA to create new forms of life or enhance existing ones.

Interstellar Travel - the ability to travel between star systems and explore the vastness of space.

Parallel Universes - the concept of multiple universes or realities existing simultaneously.

Cybernetics - the integration of machines and technology with the human body to enhance abilities or extend lifespan.

Post-Human - the evolution of humanity beyond its current form, either through technology or genetic modification.

Utopia/Dystopia - a society that is either a perfect utopia or a nightmarish dystopia.

Transhumanism - the belief in the ability of humans to evolve beyond their biological limitations.

Hard Science Fiction - a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the scientific accuracy and realism of the story.

Soft Science Fiction - a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the social, cultural, and philosophical aspects of the story.

Space Western - a story that combines elements of science fiction with the themes and tropes of a Western.

First Contact - a story that explores the initial meeting between humans and an extraterrestrial species.

Singularity - the point at which artificial intelligence becomes more advanced than human intelligence, leading to a transformation of society.

Fantasy

Epic Quest - a story that revolves around a hero or group of heroes on a perilous journey to achieve a great goal.

Magic - the use of supernatural forces to achieve extraordinary feats or solve problems.

Swords and Sorcery - a subgenre of fantasy that features action-packed adventures with battles and magic.

High Fantasy - a subgenre of fantasy that takes place in an alternate world with its own history, culture, and mythology.

Dark Fantasy - a subgenre of fantasy that incorporates horror elements and a darker tone.

Prophecy - a prediction or foretelling of future events that drives the plot.

Chosen One - a hero or heroine with a special destiny or purpose.

Magical Creatures - the inclusion of fantastical creatures such as dragons, unicorns, or griffins.

Medieval Setting - a story that takes place in a time period similar to the Middle Ages, with knights, castles, and kings.

Fairy Tales - the retelling or reimagining of classic fairy tales such as Cinderella, Snow White, or Beauty and the Beast.

Parallel Worlds - the concept of multiple worlds or dimensions existing simultaneously.

Coming-of-Age - a story that focuses on a character's growth and development as they transition from childhood to adulthood.

Hero's Journey - a story structure that follows a hero or heroine through a series of trials and challenges.

Mythology - the inclusion of gods and goddesses, myths, and legends from various cultures.

Quest Objects - a magical or mythical object that serves as the goal of the hero's journey.

Underworld - a mysterious and often dangerous realm that exists beneath the surface of the world.

Romance - a romantic subplot or love interest that drives the plot.

Time Travel - the ability to travel through time, either to the past or the future.

Folklore - the inclusion of traditional stories, beliefs, and customs of a particular culture.

Elemental Magic - the use of magic that is connected to the elements such as fire, water, earth, or air.

Historical Fiction

Time Period - a story that takes place in a specific historical time period, such as the Middle Ages, Renaissance, or Victorian era.

Historical Figures - the inclusion of real-life historical figures, such as kings, queens, politicians, or artists, as characters in the story.

Political Intrigue - a plot that involves political maneuvering, conspiracy, and power struggles.

War and Conflict - a story that focuses on a historical war or conflict and its impact on individuals or society.

Romance - a romantic subplot or love interest that is set against the backdrop of a historical event or time period.

Social Commentary - a story that explores social issues and injustices of a specific historical time period, such as class, gender, or race.

Court Intrigue - a plot that takes place in a royal court, with its politics, gossip, and drama.

Historical Mystery - a mystery story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring real-life historical events or figures.

Historical Adventure - an adventure story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring exploration, discovery, and danger.

Family Saga - a multi-generational story that spans a significant period of time and follows a family's history and relationships.

Historical Biographical Fiction - a fictionalized account of a real-life historical figure's life and experiences.

Secret Societies - a plot that involves secret organizations or societies, often with historical significance.

Historical Romance - a romantic story set in a specific historical time period, often with themes of social class, duty, and tradition.

Historical Fantasy - a blend of historical fiction and fantasy elements, such as magic, mythical creatures, or alternative history.

Historical Horror - a blend of historical fiction and horror elements, often exploring the darker aspects of a specific historical time period.

Time Travel - the ability to travel through time to experience different historical time periods.

Historical Crime - a crime story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring real-life historical crimes or criminals.

Historical Epic - a grand, sweeping story that covers a significant period of time and multiple characters.

Historical Drama - a dramatic story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring conflict, struggle, and personal growth.

Historical Fictionalization - a fictional story that takes place in a specific historical time period, often featuring real-life historical events or figures.

Thriller

High Stakes - a story where the protagonist is facing extreme danger or risk to their life or the lives of others.

Psychological Thriller - a story that focuses on the psychological and emotional state of the characters, often involving mind games and manipulation.

Serial Killer - a plot that involves a murderer who kills multiple victims over a period of time, often with a specific motive or pattern.

Conspiracy - a plot that involves a secret organization or group that is working against the protagonist and their goals.

Race Against Time - a story where the protagonist has a limited amount of time to achieve their goal before a catastrophic event occurs.

Action-Packed - a story with plenty of fast-paced action scenes, often featuring chases, fights, and explosions.

Law Enforcement - a plot that involves law enforcement agencies or officers investigating a crime or trying to stop a criminal.

Revenge - a plot that involves a character seeking revenge against those who have wronged them or their loved ones.

International Intrigue - a story that takes place across multiple countries and involves espionage, international conflicts, or political intrigue.

Kidnapping - a plot that involves the abduction of a character or characters, often for ransom or other nefarious purposes.

Spy Thriller - a story that features a spy or secret agent working to stop a dangerous threat to national security.

Cat-and-Mouse - a plot that involves a game of cat-and-mouse between the protagonist and their enemy, often with each trying to outsmart the other.

Betrayal - a plot that involves a character being betrayed by someone they thought they could trust.

Technological Threat - a story that involves a dangerous technological threat, such as a computer virus or rogue AI.

Locked Room Mystery - a mystery where the crime or danger takes place in a confined space, such as a locked room or an isolated location.

Political Thriller - a story that involves political power struggles, corruption, or conspiracies.

Survival - a story where the protagonist is fighting for survival in a dangerous or hostile environment.

Medical Thriller - a story that involves a medical mystery, such as a virus or disease outbreak, or a medical conspiracy.

Heist - a plot that involves a group of characters planning and executing a high-stakes theft or robbery.

Paranormal Thriller - a story that involves paranormal or supernatural elements, such as ghosts or psychic abilities, in a thriller setting.

Horror

Haunted House - a story that takes place in a house or building that is haunted by ghosts or other supernatural entities.

Supernatural Forces - a plot that involves supernatural entities or forces, such as demons, witches, or monsters.

Psychological Horror - a story that focuses on the mental and emotional state of the characters, often involving fears, phobias, or psychological trauma.

Body Horror - a plot that involves grotesque or horrifying physical transformations or deformities, often caused by disease or experimentation.

Gore - a story that involves graphic and bloody violence, often featuring mutilation or dismemberment.

Slasher - a plot that involves a killer who stalks and murders their victims, often with a signature weapon or method.

Survival Horror - a story where the characters are fighting for survival against a threat that is overwhelming and seemingly unstoppable.

Found Footage - a plot that involves footage or recordings of an event or situation, often presented as a documentary or amateur recording.

Creepy Children - a plot that involves creepy or malevolent children, often with supernatural abilities or knowledge.

Possession - a plot that involves a character being possessed by a demon or other supernatural entity.

Monster - a plot that involves a monstrous creature, often with a unique or terrifying design.

Ghost Story - a plot that involves ghosts or spirits, often seeking revenge or trying to communicate with the living.

Curses - a plot that involves a character or location being cursed, often with a deadly or horrific consequence.

Urban Legend - a plot that involves a well-known urban legend or myth, often with a dark or gruesome twist.

Religious Horror - a story that involves religious or cult themes, often with a sinister or demonic presence.

Vampires - a plot that involves vampires, often with unique or interesting twists on the classic vampire lore.

Demonic Possession - a plot that involves a character being possessed by a demon, often with terrifying consequences.

Body Snatchers - a plot that involves aliens or other entities that take over human bodies, often with the goal of domination or destruction.

Cult Horror - a story that involves a cult or secret society, often with dark or violent rituals.

Cosmic Horror - a story that involves vast, unknowable entities or forces that are beyond human comprehension.

Young Adult (YA)

Coming of age - a plot that focuses on a character's journey from adolescence to adulthood, often involving self-discovery and personal growth.

Love Triangle - a plot that involves a character choosing between two potential love interests, often causing conflict and tension.

High School Drama - a story that takes place in a high school setting, often involving cliques, popularity contests, and social hierarchies.

Dystopian - a plot that takes place in a futuristic or alternate world where society has become corrupted or oppressive.

Superpowers - a plot that involves characters with supernatural abilities, often exploring themes of responsibility and identity.

Forbidden Romance - a plot that involves characters who are not allowed to be together due to social, cultural, or familial reasons.

Identity Crisis - a plot that involves a character questioning their identity, often exploring themes of race, gender, or sexuality.

Fish out of Water - a plot that involves a character being placed in a new and unfamiliar environment, often leading to culture shock and personal growth.

Rebellion - a plot that involves characters fighting against authority or oppressive forces, often with themes of social justice and empowerment.

Time Travel - a plot that involves characters traveling through time, often exploring themes of consequences and destiny.

Survival - a plot that involves characters fighting for survival in a hostile environment or situation.

Fantasy - a plot that takes place in a fantastical world, often involving mythical creatures and magical powers.

Mystery - a plot that involves a character solving a puzzle or unraveling a mystery, often with a twist ending.

Apocalyptic - a plot that involves characters trying to survive in a world that has been destroyed by a catastrophic event, often exploring themes of hope and resilience.

Boarding School - a story that takes place in a boarding school setting, often involving themes of independence and friendship.

Road Trip - a plot that involves characters going on a journey, often exploring themes of self-discovery and adventure.

Sports - a story that involves characters participating in a sports team or competition, often exploring themes of teamwork and perseverance.

Rich vs. Poor - a plot that involves characters from different socioeconomic backgrounds, often exploring themes of inequality and privilege.

Friendship - a plot that explores the relationships and bonds between characters, often with themes of loyalty and trust.

Teenage Rebellion - a plot that involves characters rebelling against their parents or society, often exploring themes of independence and self-expression.

Literary Fiction

Character study - a plot that focuses on the inner workings of a character's psyche and emotions.

Family drama - a story that involves familial relationships, often exploring themes of love, loss, and identity.

Coming of age - a plot that focuses on a character's journey from adolescence to adulthood, often involving self-discovery and personal growth.

Memory and nostalgia - a plot that explores the past and memories, often with themes of loss, regret, and longing.

Art and creativity - a plot that explores the creative process and the artist's relationship with their art, often with themes of inspiration and obsession.

Existentialism - a plot that explores the meaning of life and existence, often with themes of identity and purpose.

Love and relationships - a plot that explores the complexities of romantic relationships and the human condition.

Social commentary - a plot that uses characters and their stories to comment on societal issues and concerns.

Loss and grief - a plot that explores the themes of loss and grief, often with themes of redemption and acceptance.

Mental health - a plot that explores the struggles and experiences of characters with mental health issues, often with themes of stigma and acceptance.

Nature and environment - a plot that explores the relationship between humans and nature, often with themes of conservation and preservation.

Historical fiction - a plot that takes place in a historical setting, often with themes of nostalgia and nostalgia.

Travel and adventure - a plot that involves characters traveling to new and unfamiliar places, often with themes of self-discovery and adventure.

Mystery - a plot that involves a character solving a puzzle or unraveling a mystery, often with a twist ending.

Philosophy - a plot that explores philosophical concepts and ideas, often with themes of morality and ethics.

Politics and power - a plot that explores the dynamics of power and politics, often with themes of corruption and morality.

Religion and spirituality - a plot that explores the themes of religion and spirituality, often with themes of faith and doubt.

Aging and mortality - a plot that explores the themes of aging and mortality, often with themes of acceptance and legacy.

Experimental fiction - a plot that plays with narrative structure, language, and form, often with themes of innovation and creativity.

Identity and culture - a plot that explores the themes of identity and culture, often with themes of belonging and alienation.

Comedy

Fish out of water - a plot that involves a character being thrust into an unfamiliar or absurd situation.

Screwball comedy - a plot that involves absurd or zany situations, often with fast-paced dialogue and physical humor.

Satire - a plot that uses humor to mock or criticize societal norms or institutions.

Parody - a plot that mimics or exaggerates the tropes and conventions of a particular genre or story.

Romantic comedy - a plot that involves a romantic relationship, often with humorous misunderstandings and obstacles.

Workplace comedy - a plot that takes place in a workplace setting, often with exaggerated or quirky characters and situations.

Farce - a plot that involves chaotic or ridiculous situations, often with mistaken identities and physical humor.

Slapstick - a plot that involves physical humor and exaggerated movements and actions.

Black comedy - a plot that uses humor to address dark or taboo subjects, often with themes of mortality and existentialism.

Situational comedy - a plot that involves humorous situations or misunderstandings.

Spoof - a plot that parodies a particular movie or TV show, often with exaggerated and absurd humor.

Gross-out comedy - a plot that involves bodily humor and gross or taboo subjects.

Buddy comedy - a plot that involves two characters with contrasting personalities who become friends, often with humorous results.

Surreal humor - a plot that involves absurd or dreamlike situations, often with a philosophical or satirical edge.

Comedic irony - a plot that uses irony to create humor, often with unexpected twists and turns.

Stand-up comedy - a plot that involves a comedian's experiences and observations, often with humorous anecdotes and jokes.

Comedic monologue - a plot that involves a character delivering a humorous speech or monologue, often with satire or parody.

Prankster comedy - a plot that involves practical jokes and humor at the expense of others.

Wit and banter - a plot that involves clever and witty dialogue, often with wordplay and sarcasm.

Running gags - a plot that involves recurring jokes or situations, often with escalating humor.

Western

Gunslinger - a plot that involves a skilled shooter or outlaw seeking redemption or justice.

Lawman - a plot that involves a law enforcement officer pursuing criminals and bringing them to justice.

Cattle drive - a plot that involves a group of cowboys driving a herd of cattle across long distances.

Revenge - a plot that involves a character seeking revenge against those who wronged them or their family.

Outlaw with a heart of gold - a plot that involves an outlaw with a moral code who takes on a noble cause.

Homesteader - a plot that involves a character settling and cultivating land in the frontier.

Duel - a plot that involves a one-on-one confrontation between two characters, often with guns or knives.

Train robbery - a plot that involves a group of bandits robbing a train of its cargo or passengers.

Gold rush - a plot that involves characters seeking wealth and fortune in the frontier, often through mining.

Indian wars - a plot that involves conflict between settlers and Native Americans, often with themes of racism and colonialism.

Saloon - a plot that involves characters gathering in a western-style bar, often with gambling and drinking.

Bounty hunter - a plot that involves a character pursuing and capturing fugitives for a reward.

Stagecoach - a plot that involves a group of characters traveling by stagecoach, often with danger and excitement along the way.

Showdown - a plot that involves a final confrontation between the hero and villain, often with high stakes.

Frontier justice - a plot that involves characters taking the law into their own hands, often with themes of vigilante justice.

Lone wanderer - a plot that involves a character traveling alone through the frontier, often with themes of isolation and survival.

Land conflict - a plot that involves characters fighting for ownership or control of land in the frontier.

Old west town - a plot that involves a character navigating life in a wild and lawless western town.

Rancher - a plot that involves a character managing a large ranch, often with themes of family and legacy.

Horseback chase - a plot that involves a chase scene on horseback, often with themes of pursuit and escape.

Dystopian.

Totalitarian government - a plot that involves a government or ruling power that has complete control over society and its citizens.

Oppressive society - a plot that involves a society that enforces strict rules and regulations on its citizens, often with extreme punishments for disobedience.

Rebel uprising - a plot that involves a group of rebels or revolutionaries who rise up against the ruling power.

Propaganda - a plot that involves the use of media and messaging to manipulate and control the population.

Social hierarchy - a plot that involves a society divided into social classes or castes, often with those at the bottom suffering the most.

Surveillance state - a plot that involves constant surveillance and monitoring of citizens by the ruling power.

Lack of personal freedom - a plot that involves citizens having limited or no personal freedoms, often with restrictions on speech, movement, and expression.

Environmental disaster - a plot that involves a society struggling to survive in the aftermath of an environmental catastrophe.

Post-apocalyptic world - a plot that involves a society trying to survive after a global disaster, such as a nuclear war or pandemic.

Dystopian love story - a plot that involves a romance set in a dystopian world, often with themes of forbidden love and societal restrictions.

Totalitarian leader - a plot that involves a single leader who holds absolute power over society.

Brainwashing - a plot that involves the use of psychological manipulation to control the population.

Genetic engineering - a plot that involves the manipulation of genetics and biology to create a new type of human or animal.

Rebellion leader - a plot that involves a charismatic leader who inspires and leads the rebellion against the ruling power.

Resistance movement - a plot that involves a group of individuals fighting against the ruling power, often through acts of sabotage and rebellion.

Corrupt government - a plot that involves a government that is corrupt and self-serving, often at the expense of the citizens.

Apocalyptic event - a plot that involves a catastrophic event that threatens the survival of humanity.

Oppressive technology - a plot that involves the use of advanced technology to control and manipulate citizens.

Civil war - a plot that involves a society torn apart by a conflict between factions or groups.

Protagonist as symbol of hope - a plot that involves a protagonist who becomes a symbol of hope for the oppressed and downtrodden citizens.

While I've only listed 20 common tropes found in these genres, there are actually many more out there waiting for you to discover! A quick Google search can help you track down all sorts of interesting and unique tropes to use in your writing.

Target Audience

It's important to understand who your book's target audience is, as it allows you to write a book that connects with them on a deeper level. Your target audience is the group of people who are most likely to enjoy your book, find it valuable, and recommend it to others. By writing with your target audience in mind, you can ensure that your book is relevant to their interests, speaks to their needs, and is more likely to be successful. After all, when you connect with your readers, you create a powerful bond that can make them lifelong fans of your work.

If you've already decided on your genres, sub-genres, and tropes, finding your target audience is a breeze. All you have to do is a quick Google search and voila! However, to help you out, I can provide you with some general information on target audiences. Do keep in mind that this information is not set in stone, as everyone's interests differ. For instance, plenty women enjoy thrillers, action stories, or horror. Nonetheless, this outline can serve as a starting point for your research.

Young Adult:

Genres: Fantasy, dystopian, contemporary, romance

Tropes: Coming-of-age, love triangles, chosen one, forbidden love, adventure

Themes: Identity, self-discovery, social justice, belonging, family, friendship, first love, mental health

Needs: Relatable characters, emotional resonance, accessible language, diverse representation, empowerment

Adult:

Genres: Mystery, thriller, romance, historical fiction, literary fiction

Tropes: Second chance at love, redemption, suspense, revenge, secrets and lies, unreliable narrators, twists and turns, complex relationships

Themes: Love and relationships, societal issues, personal growth, identity, history, culture, family dynamics, Love and loss

Needs: Engaging plot, well-developed characters, nuanced themes, evocative language, diverse representation

Middle-grade:

Genres: Adventure, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, humor, contemporary

Tropes: Overcoming obstacles, friendship, finding one's place, underdogs, magic

Themes: Family, friendship, self-discovery, perseverance, identity, problem-solving, Self-acceptance, courage, teamwork

Needs: Engaging plot, relatable characters, age-appropriate language, adventure and humor, positive messaging

Children:

Genres: Picture books, early readers, chapter books

Tropes: Animals as main characters, imaginative worlds, humor, adventure, family relationships, lessons learned

Themes: Family, friendship, growing up, learning new things, self-expression, empathy, problem-solving, diversity, kindness

Needs: Simple language, colorful illustrations, engaging storytelling, relatable characters, age-appropriate messaging

Women:

Genres: Romance, mystery, historical fiction, women's fiction, contemporary fiction, literary fiction

Tropes: Second chance at love, forbidden love, strong female lead, enemies-to-lovers, happily-ever-after, family secrets

Themes: Love and relationships, family, personal growth, empowerment, sisterhood, identity

Needs: Emotional resonance, well-rounded characters, diverse representation, nuanced themes, satisfying endings

Men:

Genres: Thriller, science fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, historical fiction

Tropes: Action-packed, gritty, hero's journey, good vs. evil, moral dilemmas, Tough-guy heroes, high stakes, intricate plots, historical accuracy

Themes: Honor, justice, redemption, brotherhood, duty, perseverance

Needs: Engaging plot, well-researched historical details, realistic action, diverse representation, nuanced themes

LGBTQ+:

Genres: LGBTQ+ romance, coming-of-age, drama, contemporary fiction, young adult, literary fiction, speculative fiction

Tropes: Coming out, forbidden love, self-acceptance, exploring sexuality, found family, overcoming prejudice, love conquers all

Themes: Identity, discrimination, love and relationships, acceptance, self-discovery, community

Needs: Authentic representation, diverse characters and experiences, nuanced portrayal of LGBTQ+ issues, positive messaging, happy endings

Seniors:

Genres: Historical fiction, literary fiction, memoir, mystery, romance

Tropes: Second chance at love, reflection on past mistakes, family drama, secrets and lies

Themes: Aging, family, legacy, life lessons, reflection, personal growth.

Needs: Thoughtful themes, well-rounded characters, evocative language, diverse representation, positive messaging

Note: "Nuanced" means that something is complex and has many different parts or aspects that make it unique. It's not just one simple thing, but has layers and details that make it more interesting and complicated. For example, a nuanced character in a book might have both good and bad qualities, and their personality and behavior might change depending on the situation they're in.

Here are some example's of nuanced themes:

Love and loss: exploring the complex emotions surrounding love and loss, such as grief, regret, and nostalgia.

Identity and belonging: examining the struggle to find one's place in the world and how our sense of self is shaped by our experiences and relationships.

Power and corruption: exploring the abuse of power and how it can corrupt individuals and institutions.

Morality and ethics: examining the gray areas of morality and the difficult choices we face when navigating right and wrong.

Mental health: exploring the complexities of mental health and how it impacts individuals and their relationships.

Social justice: examining issues of inequality, discrimination, and systemic oppression, and the need for change.

Cultural differences: exploring the nuances of different cultures and the challenges and benefits of navigating those differences.

Nature and the environment: examining the relationship between humans and nature, and the impact of human behavior on the environment.

Family and relationships: exploring the complexities of family dynamics and relationships, including love, loyalty, and betrayal.

Aging and mortality: examining the process of aging and the impact of mortality on individuals and their loved ones.

Starting to plot your novel is an exciting step, and choosing your genre, trope, and target audience are vital for laying the groundwork of your story. But it's important not to overlook other essential elements that can elevate your story to the next level. For example, have you thought about how you want your readers to feel when they read your book, or what you want them to learn? These questions can help you create a more impactful and meaningful story that resonates with your readers.

As an author, you likely have a specific purpose in mind when crafting your story. Whether you aim to entertain, convey a message, or educate your readers, it's important to consider the intended impact on your audience. To achieve your creative goals, you'll need to pay attention to key elements like plot, characters, setting, and themes, and ensure they work cohesively to create an engaging and immersive experience.

For readers, understanding the author's intent can enhance their appreciation of the story and lead to a more fulfilling reading experience. By recognizing the impact and meaning behind the words on the page, you can fully immerse yourself in the story and gain a deeper understanding of the author's message. So whether you're a writer or a reader, don't forget to consider the impact of your words and how they can connect with your audience.

Authors can convey various messages, lessons, and ideas through fictional writing. Here are a few examples:

Moral lessons: Fictional stories often have a moral lesson or message that the author wants to convey to the reader. The story may illustrate the consequences of certain actions or behaviors, and the characters may learn a valuable lesson by the end of the story.

Social commentary: Fictional stories can also be used to comment on social issues such as inequality, discrimination, or injustice. By using characters and situations that are relatable to readers, authors can help readers better understand and empathize with these issues.

Emotional connections: Through fictional writing, authors can help readers connect emotionally with the characters and situations in the story. This can help readers develop greater empathy and understanding of others in real life.

Imagination and creativity: Fictional writing can inspire readers to use their imagination and think creatively. Through vivid descriptions and imaginative storytelling, authors can transport readers to new and exciting worlds.

Personal growth: Fictional writing can also help readers learn more about themselves and their own values and beliefs. By exploring different characters and situations, readers can gain new perspectives and insights that can help them grow and develop as individuals.

I understand that all of this might sound a bit overwhelming and challenging, but please don't worry! If you're writing solely for the purpose of entertaining your readers and don't have any specific message to convey, you can simply skip this part when creating your novel outline. Don't feel obligated to include elements that you're not comfortable with, and focus on creating a story that you enjoy telling.

By the way, I'd like to share with you some examples of popular stories and their authors that effectively convey certain messages or teach valuable lessons through their fictional writing:

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee - This story teaches the importance of empathy, justice, and standing up for what is right.

"1984" by George Orwell - This dystopian novel warns about the dangers of totalitarianism and the importance of preserving individual freedom.

"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood - This dystopian novel warns about the dangers of patriarchal oppression and the importance of women's rights.

"The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien - This epic fantasy novel teaches the importance of courage, loyalty, and sacrifice in the face of great evil.

"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald - This story critiques the superficiality and moral decay of the wealthy during the Roaring Twenties.

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell - This allegorical novel satirizes the rise of Soviet communism and warns about the dangers of political corruption and propaganda.

"Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley - This dystopian novel warns about the dangers of technological advancement and the dehumanization of society.

"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger - This story explores the themes of alienation, identity, and the struggle to find meaning in a world that can often seem cold and indifferent.

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker - This story explores themes of race, gender, and the struggle for personal autonomy and self-determination in a society that seeks to deny these things.

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins - This dystopian novel critiques the excesses of consumer culture and warns about the dangers of totalitarianism and oppression.

Plot

Great job! We've completed the first part of outlining a basic novel. Now, let's move on to plotting. But wait a minute! Before you start plotting, there's some information we need first - your intended word count. This may sound like a small detail, but it's actually quite important. Knowing the total word count of your story can affect many things. For instance, publishers often have guidelines for the length of novels they will accept, so if your manuscript is too long or too short, it may be rejected. Additionally, readers may have certain expectations for the length of a novel in a specific genre, and if your book is significantly shorter or longer than expected, it may not be well-received. Lastly, the word count can influence the pacing and structure of your novel, with longer novels potentially allowing for more complex plot and character development, but requiring more attention to pacing and structure to avoid losing the reader's interest.

You might be thinking, "Hey, Taytjie, what if I want to post a web novel with over 1000 chapters? Do I have to plot everything in advance?" Well, my answer is no! However, I do recommend thinking of a web novel as a series of books, each with its own volume, rather than a single, massive work. So when plotting your web novel, it's best to approach each volume individually. This will make it easier to organize your ideas and create a cohesive story that engages your readers. Each 'Arc' of your web novel can be an individual volume of around 10 to 30 chapters or more, it's up to your preference.

Let me offer you a general guideline for word counts, but keep in mind that variations may exist based on factors such as sub-genre, target audience, and publishing goals. If traditional publishing is what you're aiming for, then different publishers may have different expectations. However, it's worth noting that while you don't have to stick to these word counts, readers typically expect them in the genres I've discussed in this post. Ultimately, what matters most is that your story is engaging and well-crafted, and if you achieve that, your readers will be hooked no matter the word count.

Romance: 50,000 to 90,000 words

Mystery: 70,000 to 100,000 words

Science fiction: 80,000 to 120,000 words

Fantasy: 80,000 to 120,000 words

Historical fiction: 80,000 to 120,000 words

Thriller: 80,000 to 100,000 words

Horror: 70,000 to 100,000 words

Young adult: 50,000 to 80,000 words

Literary fiction: 80,000 to 120,000 words

Comedy: 70,000 to 100,000 words

Western: 50,000 to 80,000 words

Dystopian: 80,000 to 120,000 words

You might be wondering why we're discussing word count under the 'plot' section instead of the 'book information' section. Well, it's because knowing your intended word count will help you figure out how many chapters your story will have. This, in turn, will affect your plot, as it gives you an idea of how much time you have to tell your story and how much you'll need to stretch it out.

Now it's time to decide on the number of chapters and the length of each chapter for your novel. To determine the chapter length, think about how many words you want to include in each chapter and use that to calculate the total number of chapters required to reach your desired word count for the whole story.

After figuring out the number of chapters, it's time to work on the plot. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be a lengthy essay, just a brief two-sentence summary will do. The main thing is to have a clear idea of what your story will be about.

Here's an example:

In a world of magic and intrigue, a young wizard falls in love with a powerful sorceress from a rival clan. Together, they must navigate the dangerous politics of their respective societies while discovering the true depth of their feelings for each other.

Alright, great job so far! Now let's dig a little deeper and focus on the beginning, middle, and end of your story. What's going to happen at the start to draw your readers in? What twists and turns will take place in the middle? And finally, how do you want it all to wrap up in the end?

Start: The story begins in a magical world filled with warring clans and powerful sorcerers. Our protagonist, a young wizard, is training at the academy of his clan when he meets a beautiful sorceress from a rival clan. Despite the tensions between their clans, they are drawn to each other and begin to secretly meet.

Middle: As their relationship deepens, our young couple finds themselves caught up in the dangerous politics of their respective societies. They struggle to keep their love a secret, while also trying to navigate the treacherous waters of their clans' rivalries. Along the way, they uncover a plot by a dark force that threatens both their clans and must work together to stop it.

End: In the climax of the story, our young wizard and sorceress face their greatest challenge yet. They must put aside their differences and unite their clans to defeat the dark force that threatens them all. Through their bravery and dedication, they prove that love can conquer even the most formidable foes. In the end, our young couple is able to come together openly and publicly, ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity for their people.

Congratulations, we've made progress! Now it's time to take our plot and start breaking it down into individual chapters. Think about the key events that need to happen in each chapter to move the story forward and write them down.

Chapter 1: Our young wizard protagonist meets the powerful sorceress from a rival clan and is immediately drawn to her.

Chapter 2: Our couple shares their first magical moment together, but the looming threat of their clans' rivalry casts a shadow over their happiness.

Chapter 3: Our wizard protagonist confides in his best friend about his feelings for the sorceress, but is warned about the dangers of falling in love with someone from a rival clan.

Chapter 4: The sorceress reveals that she feels the same way, and the couple begins to meet in secret.

Chapter 5: The first major conflict arises when our wizard protagonist's clan discovers his relationship with the sorceress and forbids him from seeing her.

Chapter 6: The sorceress' clan also discovers their relationship and the two clans begin to escalate their hostility towards each other.

Chapter 7: The couple's secret meetings become riskier as they try to find a way to be together without causing a war between their clans.

Chapter 8: A powerful sorcerer from our wizard protagonist's clan threatens the couple and warns them to end their relationship.

Chapter 9: Our protagonist turns to an older, wiser wizard for advice on how to navigate the dangerous politics of their clans.

Chapter 10: Our couple is caught in a dangerous ambush by members of the sorceress' clan who disapprove of their relationship.

Chapter 11: The sorceress' clan accuses our wizard protagonist of using dark magic to seduce her and threatens to retaliate.

Chapter 12: The couple decides to seek refuge in a neutral territory and try to find a way to resolve the conflict peacefully.

Chapter 13: Our protagonist discovers a sinister plot by a dark force that threatens both clans and realizes that they must work together to stop it.

Chapter 14: The couple's efforts to bring their clans together are met with resistance and suspicion from both sides.

Chapter 15: Our wizard protagonist and the sorceress embark on a dangerous mission to uncover the dark force's plans.

Chapter 16: The couple faces their greatest challenge yet as they confront the dark force and its powerful minions.

Chapter 17: Our couple must fight for their lives as they face overwhelming odds, but their love gives them the strength to prevail.

Chapter 18: The couple is hailed as heroes for saving their clans from the dark force, but their victory comes at a great cost.

Chapter 19: Our couple is finally able to publicly declare their love for each other, and their clans agree to a truce.

Chapter 20: The novel ends with our couple looking forward to a future together, as they embark on a new journey filled with hope and promise.

Great job! Now, for the final step: take each chapter and create a bullet-pointed outline of what you want to happen in it. This will help make your life easier when you begin writing the actual story because you'll already know what you need to write, and you just need to turn it into beautiful prose. But, Yes there is a but, If you just like to let the creative juices flow and don't want to write so rigidly, like I do, skip it. I personally just write the one or two sentences for my chapter when I build an outline, and then I just go for it.

Chapter One: A Meeting of Hearts

The chapter opens with our young wizard protagonist, whose name is Aaron, attending his morning training session at the wizard academy. During a break, Aaron wanders off into the forest for some quiet reflection and stumbles upon a clearing filled with glowing mushrooms. As he investigates the mushrooms, Aaron is startled by a rustling in the nearby bushes and turns to see a young woman emerge. The young woman introduces herself as Lyra, a powerful sorceress from a rival clan. Despite the tensions between their clans, Aaron and Lyra are immediately drawn to each other and begin to chat. Aaron discovers that Lyra is at the academy to research a powerful spell that could help her clan in their ongoing conflict with Aaron's clan. Aaron offers to help Lyra with her research, and they agree to meet secretly to work on the spell together. As Aaron leaves the clearing, he realizes that he is falling for Lyra and wonders how he will be able to reconcile his feelings with his loyalty to his clan. The chapter ends with Aaron returning to the academy, his thoughts consumed by thoughts of Lyra and the dangerous path they are embarking on.

By the way, in case you were wondering, the story we've been working on is a fantasy romance. Once you've completed outlining each chapter, congratulations, you've successfully outlined your novel! Now, let's move on to the next step: creating characters. You might be wondering why I saved this for after the plot section instead of before, but everyone has their own approach. Personally, I like to create my characters as I'm outlining my novel and really flesh them out while writing my first draft. Then, I use my second draft to make sure that the characters remain consistent throughout the book.

Characters

We've made it to the last section of our basic outline! As a writer, I prefer to develop my characters alongside my plot rather than before it. I start with some basic character details and adjust them as needed to fit the story. Sometimes, characters I initially thought were essential end up being cut, while others I created on a whim end up becoming integral to the plot. For example, in my current work in progress, I created a childhood friend of the main character on a whim, but he ended up becoming an antagonist who will go through a redemption arc and a friends-to-enemies-to-friends trope.

When it comes to creating your characters, there are some essential details you'll want to have nailed down. But don't worry, it's not necessary to have everything figured out until you finish your first draft. Just make sure you have all the important information for your main characters sorted out by the time you start working on your second draft. It's crucial to make sure your characters remain consistent throughout the story and that their actions and thoughts align with their established traits. After all, you don't want to project your own desires onto them - that's not good writing.

When it comes to creating your characters, there are some basic details you'll want to include, like their name and a brief history that matches their personality. For example, it might not make sense for a character with a tragic past to be overly optimistic and carefree all the time, not unless they're pretending.

List a few key traits that define your character's personality, such as being gruff yet secretly caring or sarcastic and cold. You don't need to create a whole resume, just a few words will do. As you write, you might find yourself adding more details to your character's personality, habits, or preferences, so make sure to jot them down.

Another important aspect is their appearance. Decide on this early on and make sure to note it down. You don't want to have to search through all your chapters to remember what your own character looks like! These are the basics, but there are three more things I want to mention that can help flesh out your character even more.

Outer conflict

Outer conflict is basically the challenges and hurdles that a character faces in their environment. It plays a significant role in the story as it generates suspense and propels the plot forward. The external obstacles that a character can encounter are diverse and varied, like dealing with natural disasters, social norms, cultural differences, achieving goals, or fighting against an adversary.

Moreover, the outer conflict can help to shape a character's personality and traits. As the character copes with and conquers obstacles, readers get to know their strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. This allows readers to form a deeper connection with the character and become more invested in their journey.

Furthermore, external conflicts can also symbolize inner turmoil. The external obstacles that a character faces can be a representation of the internal struggles they are going through, like battling fears or doubts. This creates a powerful emotional impact on readers and helps to convey crucial themes and messages.

Here are twenty examples of outer conflict:

A character struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.

A character facing a physical illness or disability that limits their abilities.

A character fighting for justice against a corrupt system or organization.

A character facing discrimination or prejudice based on their race, gender, or other identity.

A character trying to escape a dangerous situation or person.

A character facing environmental or natural disasters.

A character navigating a war or political conflict.

A character struggling with addiction or substance abuse.

A character facing financial ruin or bankruptcy.

A character dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic event.

A character struggling to balance their personal and professional lives.

A character facing a difficult decision that could have major consequences.

A character in a survival situation in the wilderness or at sea.

A character trying to break free from a toxic relationship.

A character dealing with the consequences of a mistake or poor decision.

A character facing a physical or mental challenge or disability.

A character struggling to protect their family or loved ones from harm.

A character trying to survive in a hostile or unfamiliar environment.

A character dealing with the loss of a loved one or grieving.

A character facing betrayal or deception from someone they trust.

Inner Conflict

Inner conflict is a crucial element of a story that delves into the psychological and emotional struggles that a character experiences. It's the battle between their desires and their values, their fears and aspirations, or what they want versus what they know is right. This struggle is what creates tension, complexity, and depth in a character, making them more relatable and interesting to readers. By exploring the character's inner conflict, readers gain insights into their motives, thoughts, and emotions, allowing for character development and growth.

Take J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" for instance, where Holden Caulfield grapples with an inner conflict of wanting to preserve the innocence of childhood and yet desiring to mature and grow up. This conflict leads to his erratic behavior and search for meaning and purpose.

Similarly, in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," Jay Gatsby faces an inner conflict of wanting to win back his lost love, Daisy, while also grappling with the fact that she is married to someone else. This inner conflict ultimately leads to his downfall and tragic end.

As demonstrated in these examples, inner conflict drives the plot, develops characters, and adds depth to their motivations and struggles.

Here are 20 examples of inner conflict:

Fear of failure

Insecurity

Lack of self-confidence

Difficulty making decisions

Guilt over past actions

Jealousy or envy

Grief over loss or trauma

Difficulty with vulnerability or trust

Struggle with addiction or temptation

Confusion over personal identity or purpose

Struggle with one's own morality or ethics

Difficulty with forgiveness or letting go

Shame over past actions or experiences

Struggle with self-acceptance or self-love

Difficulty with emotional intimacy or connection

Conflict with personal beliefs or values

Struggle with one's own mortality or purpose in life

Difficulty with facing the truth or reality of a situation

Struggle with balancing personal desires with the needs of others

Conflict between personal ambition and loyalty to others.

As a writer, it's important to understand how to weave outer and inner conflict together to create a compelling and multidimensional character in your story. Outer conflict provides the external challenges and obstacles that the character must face and overcome, driving the plot forward. On the other hand, inner conflict gives readers a window into the character's thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

The two types of conflict can also inform and influence each other. Inner conflict can affect how a character responds to outer conflict, and vice versa. For instance, if a character is struggling with self-doubt, this may make it harder for them to face a physical challenge presented as an outer conflict. Similarly, if a character is facing an outer conflict like a life-threatening situation, this may trigger an inner conflict related to their deepest fears and desires. The interplay between inner and outer conflict can lead to character growth, as the character learns to face their fears, confront their weaknesses, and achieve their goals.

By using both types of conflict effectively, you can create a character that is not only relatable and interesting, but also one that readers can root for as they navigate the challenges of your story.

Here is a list of 28 ways outer and inner conflict can interplay with each other:

A character with a fear of failure (inner conflict) must overcome obstacles to achieve their goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with addiction (inner conflict) must face consequences of their behavior that endanger their loved ones (outer conflict).

A character dealing with trust issues (inner conflict) must work with a partner they don't trust (outer conflict).

A character struggling with guilt (inner conflict) must clear their name and prove their innocence (outer conflict).

A character struggling with self-doubt (inner conflict) must take on a leadership role to save their community (outer conflict).

A character who is closed-off emotionally (inner conflict) must learn to trust and open up to their love interest (outer conflict).

A character with a tendency to control others (inner conflict) must learn to work in a team and share responsibility (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their identity (inner conflict) must navigate a world that doesn't accept their identity (outer conflict).

A character dealing with trauma (inner conflict) must confront the source of their trauma to overcome it (outer conflict).

A character struggling with commitment issues (inner conflict) must make a difficult decision that affects their relationship (outer conflict).

A character with a lack of self-worth (inner conflict) must prove to themselves and others that they are capable (outer conflict).

A character struggling with loss (inner conflict) must learn to move on and find purpose in life again (outer conflict).

A character with a need for control (inner conflict) must learn to let go and trust others (outer conflict).

A character dealing with past mistakes (inner conflict) must confront those they have wronged and seek redemption (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their beliefs (inner conflict) must stand up for what they believe in despite opposition (outer conflict).

A character who is closed off from the world (inner conflict) must open up and make new connections to achieve their goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with a lack of direction (inner conflict) must find purpose in their life and pursue it (outer conflict).

A character with a history of abuse (inner conflict) must confront their abuser to achieve closure (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their sexuality (inner conflict) must come out and face the social consequences of their identity (outer conflict).

A character with a need for revenge (inner conflict) must overcome their desire for revenge to achieve a greater goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their family history (inner conflict) must confront the past to move forward (outer conflict).

A character with a fear of the unknown (inner conflict) must step out of their comfort zone to achieve their goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their past (inner conflict) must come to terms with it in order to move forward (outer conflict).

A character with a lack of trust in others (inner conflict) must work with a team to achieve their goal (outer conflict).

A character struggling with their identity (inner conflict) must confront the expectations of others to find their true self (outer conflict).

A character with a tendency to self-sabotage (inner conflict) must overcome their negative patterns to achieve success (outer conflict).

A character struggling with mental illness (inner conflict) must overcome the stigma associated with their illness (outer conflict).

A character with a need for control (inner conflict) must learn to accept and adapt to unforeseen circumstances (outer conflict).

Character Growth

As a story progresses, the characters within it can undergo a significant transformation that we refer to as character growth. This growth can manifest itself in various ways, including changes in beliefs, values, behaviors, or relationships.

By portraying a character's growth, a writer can create a sense of depth and nuance that makes them more relatable and interesting to the reader. Furthermore, character growth is instrumental in driving the plot forward, as the changes experienced by the character often create new conflicts and challenges that must be addressed.

Witnessing a character's growth can be satisfying to the reader, providing them with a sense of catharsis as they watch the character overcome their obstacles and achieve their goals.

Character growth is crucial to the success of a story, and as a writer, it's important to ensure that your main characters evolve and change over the course of the narrative. People naturally experience growth and change in real life, whether it's positive or negative, as they navigate through life's challenges. The same principle applies to your characters.

When you're editing your second or third draft, take a close look at your characters and ensure that their development is evident. Keeping your characters stagnant and unchanged throughout the story isn't realistic and can hinder your reader's connection with them. By allowing your characters to evolve, you create a more relatable and believable story, one that resonates with readers and keeps them engaged until the end.

Here are some examples of good character growth in stories:

Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins learns to trust others and become a leader.

Elizabeth Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen learns to let go of her prejudices and pride and become more empathetic towards others.

Harry Potter in "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling learns to face his fears and take responsibility for his actions.

Frodo Baggins in "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien learns to sacrifice his own desires for the greater good.

Elinor Dashwood in "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen learns to express her emotions and become more open.

Holden Caulfield in "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger learns to let go of his cynicism and find a sense of hope.

Ponyboy Curtis in "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton learns to appreciate the value of family and friends.

Scout Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee learns to see the world from other people's perspectives and become more tolerant.

Andy Dufresne in "The Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King learns to never give up hope and find redemption.

Hester Prynne in "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne learns to stand up for herself and live on her own terms.

Jean Valjean in "Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo learns to find forgiveness and redemption through selflessness.

Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee learns to fight for justice and become a role model for his children.

Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien learns to step out of his comfort zone and embrace adventure.

Sydney Carton in "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens learns to find a sense of purpose and redemption through self-sacrifice.

John Proctor in "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller learns to stand up for his beliefs and fight for what is right.

Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell learns to become more self-reliant and resourceful.

Charles Ryder in "Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh learns to find a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

Captain Ahab in "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville learns to confront his own obsession and find a sense of closure.

Marianne Dashwood in "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen learns to find a balance between emotional and rational thinking.

Scout in "Go Set a Watchman" by Harper Lee learns to see her father, Atticus Finch, as a human being and understand his flaws.

Great news, you made it to the end of the basic novel outline! This is all you need to get started on writing your novel, and I'm excited for you to begin. Let's quickly recap what you'll need for your outline: a genre and sub-genre, a trope, a target audience, a word count, a chapter count, a two-sentence plot description, a more detailed plot description that covers the beginning, middle, and end of your story, and a chapter-by-chapter outline. For your characters, you'll need to include their names, brief histories, physical descriptions, personalities, outer conflicts, inner conflicts, and character growth. Once you have all of this information, you'll be ready to start writing your novel. Congratulations again, and happy writing!

Next up we'll be going into a bit more detail that focuses on world-building for fantasy or science fiction stories, anything that requires deeper world-building than a romance or regular modern paranormal fiction.

Going on from here, I won't be as detailed with explanations, what I'll be providing is mostly just information you need to get and it doesn't involve much hard research.

Races

Physical Traits:

Physical traits can play a huge role in creating unique and memorable fantasy races. By giving a race its own set of distinctive physical features, an author can make it stand out from other races and help it come to life within the story.

But physical traits aren't just about making a race look cool or interesting - they can also inform other aspects of a race's culture and history, making the story even more immersive and engaging. For example, a race with wings might have a rich history of flight, while a race with a natural resistance to fire might have developed unique technologies or traditions to harness that ability.

Religion:

Have you ever thought about the role of religion in a fantasy world? In many cases, it can provide a sense of depth and purpose to a race's way of life. Religion can shape everything from their beliefs and values to their traditions and customs, and even affect their interactions with other races and their environment.

By incorporating religion into your world-building, you can create a rich tapestry of different beliefs and practices that can help to shape the personalities of your characters. Whether it's through the way they approach challenges or the values they hold dear, religion can be a powerful tool for creating a unique and engaging fantasy race.

Here are something to think on while creating religions:

Deities and Mythology A. Different gods and goddesses B. Creation myths and legends C. Supernatural forces and entities

Religious Institutions A. Temples, shrines, and other holy sites B. Religious leaders and hierarchies C. Religious ceremonies and rituals

Beliefs and Values A. Moral and ethical codes B. Attitudes towards magic and other supernatural elements C. Relationship between religion and politics, culture, and society

Religious Conflict and Cooperation A. Religious differences and conflicts B. Religious tolerance and cooperation C. How religion impacts relationships and diplomacy between different societies

Culture:

Do you love exploring imaginary worlds filled with magic and wonder? If so, you'll know that culture plays a huge role in bringing these fantastic places to life. In a fantasy world, culture encompasses everything from shared beliefs and customs to art and social practices. By creating unique and vibrant cultures for each race and society, we can make these worlds feel alive and believable.

To craft a compelling culture for a fantasy world, we need to take into account many factors, such as the geography and climate of the world, the history and mythology of its inhabitants, and their level of technology. For example, if a society lives in a cold, mountainous region, they might have adapted their clothing and transportation to suit their environment.

In a well-crafted fantasy world, each race and society should have its own distinct culture that enriches the story and makes it more immersive. From the way they view concepts like honor and loyalty to the way they celebrate holidays and mark significant life events

Things to think on while creating cultures:

Beliefs and Values A. Religious and spiritual beliefs B. Moral and ethical values C. Attitudes towards magic and other supernatural elements

Social Structure A. Different classes and social groups B. Power dynamics and hierarchies C. Customs and traditions related to marriage, family, and social interaction

Art and Aesthetics A. Literature, music, and art B. Fashion and clothing styles C. Architectural and design styles

Technology and Industry A. Tools and weapons B. Transportation and communication C. Economic systems and trade

Language:

Language plays a crucial role in creating immersive and believable worlds. Language shapes the way people interact with each other and their environment, and can reflect the history, mythology, and values of a particular race or society.

In a well-crafted fantasy world, each race or society should have its own unique language or languages. This adds depth and complexity to the world, with the creation of new words, phrases, and even alphabets to reflect each race's unique linguistic characteristics.

Language can also be used to explore themes and ideas central to the story. For instance, the language used by those in power may reflect the power dynamic and make it difficult for the commoners to understand. In addition, language can create a sense of mystery and otherness. A completely invented language can make a fantasy race feel alien and distinct.

Furthermore, language can be used as a storytelling device, with characters translating between languages or struggling to communicate with other races. This can create tension, conflict, and opportunities for characters to learn about different cultures and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

Keep in mind that not every fantasy world or story needs detailed languages. If you prefer not to include them, that's okay too! However, if you're interested in exploring languages in your story, here are some factors to consider.

Language Families A. Different language families and their characteristics B. Historical and cultural factors influencing language development C. How languages relate to one another

Written and Spoken Languages A. Different writing systems and their evolution B. Spoken language and dialects C. How language shapes communication and relationships

Language Acquisition and Learning A. How characters learn new languages B. Cultural attitudes towards language learning C. The role of language in education and society

Translation and Interpretation A. How characters translate and interpret languages B. The challenges of language barriers C. The importance of accurate translation in diplomacy and trade

Magic

Having mystical abilities such as magic, mana, or superpowers can add excitement and intrigue to your story, but it's important to be mindful of how you use them. Many writers fall into the trap of creating limitless magical powers for their characters, which can make the story feel unrealistic and unsatisfying. To avoid this, it's helpful to answer a few questions about your magic system.

First, how does it work? It's important to understand the ins and outs of your magic system so that you can write your characters using it realistically. Knowing the mechanics of your magic system will prevent you from simply having your character magically power up in a crucial moment to get out of a tough situation.

Second, who can have it? Is there a criteria for who can use the magic or powers? Understanding why certain characters have magical abilities will prevent you from creating random characters that have the ability, and will also give your readers more information about your characters.

Third, what are the rules and limitations? Are there rules in your world about how the magic system should and should not be used? Are there physical limitations to what your characters can do? Setting rules and limitations will stop you from overpowering your character and will add conflict and tension to your story.

Additionally, it's important to consider how the general population feels about magic. Are there people who are against it, who hunt or experiment on those who possess it? Are magical individuals adored or seen as gods? Understanding how your world views magic will add depth and complexity to your story and create opportunities for conflict and tension. By considering these factors, you can create a well-rounded and engaging magic system that adds to the richness of your fantasy world. Here is a summery and some additional facts to think on when creating a magic system:

Types of Magic A. Elemental magic B. Divine magic C. Necromancy and dark magic D. Witchcraft and sorcery

Magic Mechanics A. How magic works in the world B. Limits and drawbacks to using magic C. How magic can be learned or inherited D. How magic can be controlled or regulated

Magic Users A. Different types of magic users B. Training and education for magic users C. Magic user communities and organizations

Magic in Society A. How magic impacts society and culture B. Magic in law and politics C. Magic in economics and trade

Magic in Conflict and Cooperation A. How magic can cause conflicts and tensions B. How magic can be used for diplomacy and alliances C. How magic can be used to resolve conflicts

History

Incorporating a world history into your story is an excellent way to add depth and richness to your world-building. By establishing a history, you can develop your world's cultures and religions, and intertwine it with your plot for added complexity. However, it's not necessary to have a history for the entire world's creation - just a basic overview of the setting where your story takes place is sufficient.

Another helpful aspect to include in your world-building is myths, lore, and major events that have shaped festivals or important days in your world. Additionally, highlighting significant historical figures can also provide valuable context for your story.

While it's not essential to introduce this information at the beginning of your story, it's a good idea to flesh out these details during revisions to ensure a cohesive and well-rounded world. This can help maintain consistency throughout your story and enhance the overall reading experience for your audience.

If you are creating an entire world history. Here are some things to think on:

Creation Myth and Cosmology A. Explanation of the world's creation myth B. Introduction of the cosmology of the world

Early Civilizations and Kingdoms A. The rise of early civilizations and kingdoms B. Development of early cultures and their impact on the world

Major Historical Events A. Wars and conflicts B. Great discoveries and inventions C. Natural disasters and calamities

Key Figures in History A. Heroes and heroines B. Villains and antagonists C. Leaders and rulers

Religion and Spirituality A. Explanation of the major religions and spiritual beliefs in the world B. Impact of religion and spirituality on world events and culture

Technology and Advancements A. Advancements in science and technology B. Development of new magic and spells

Current State of the World A. The current political and social situation in the world B. Ongoing conflicts and challenges C. Future possibilities for the world

Geography

Understanding the visual aspects of your story's setting is a valuable tool for crafting a rich and immersive world. By knowing the geography, you can better visualize how your characters will interact with their surroundings, what they'll wear, and what they'll eat. It can also play a major role in shaping the culture of the people inhabiting your world.

The geography of your world can even influence the physical characteristics of certain races, like those living near a volcano who may have tough, scaly skin to resist heat. Some key factors to consider when developing the geography of your world include the landscape, climate, weather patterns, natural resources, and the types of food available to your characters. These details can all work together to bring your world to life and make it feel like a fully-realized place with a unique identity.

Things to think on while creating your world geography:

Physical Features A. Landforms such as mountains, forests, and rivers B. Climate and weather patterns C. Natural resources and their distribution

Political Boundaries A. Different regions and territories B. Borders, boundaries, and conflicts C. How politics and culture influence geography

Cultural Landscapes A. Architecture and building styles B. Cultural and religious sites C. Impact of culture and history on the physical landscape

Mystical and Supernatural Features A. Magic and other supernatural elements B. Divine or cursed locations C. How these features shape the world

Politics

In the world of writing, it's easy to think that politics don't matter, especially when you're starting out. However, this is far from the truth. As you craft your story, there will come a point where your character will need to make a decision that affects the people around them. When others either agree or disagree with that decision, you're entering the realm of politics. In its simplest form, politics is all about how groups of people work together to make decisions and get things done. This can involve everything from choosing leaders and making laws to deciding how to use resources. In a fantasy world, politics can take on a different flavor. Different races and groups of creatures might be vying for control of territory or trying to gain power or fight for their rights.

The Players A. Different races and societies B. Leaders and powerful figures C. Factions, alliances, and conflicts

The Systems A. Government and governance B. Laws and regulations C. Use of magic and supernatural powers

The Issues A. Resource allocation B. Territorial disputes C. Power struggles and control

There are a lot of different factors that can affect politics in your fantasy world, and it's important to consider how your characters and societies will respond to them. Whether they're fighting for their rights, negotiating deals, or making compromises, the decisions they make will shape the world you're creating. So take some time to think about these things and how they'll impact your story

Technology

It's important to consider the level of advancement in your fantasy world. For example, if you're writing an old world fantasy kingdom, but there is technology present, your readers will likely be curious about where it came from, how it was developed, and who created it. Make sure to address these questions in your world-building

Here are some things to think on while working on technology for your world:

Types of Technology A. Explanation of various types of technology in the world B. Magic and technology: their relationship and interaction

Evolution of Technology A. The history of technology in the world B. Key figures and events that drove technological progress

The Creation and Distribution of Technology A. Who creates technology in the world B. How technology is distributed throughout the world C. Economic and social factors that impact technology development

The Impacts of Technology A. Positive and negative impacts of technology on society and culture B. Environmental impacts of technology

Limitations of Technology A. Constraints on technology development B. Limitations on the use of technology

Future of Technology A. Speculation on the future of technology in the world B. Potential implications for the world and its inhabitants

That's it! We are done! Cheers everyone! Great job on completing your detailed outline! Here's a recap of all the elements you should include: First, choose your genre, trope, target audience, and set a word and chapter count. Define your plot in 2-3 sentences, then expand it and break it down into beginning, middle, and end. Then create a chapter-by-chapter outline. For your characters, give them names, a brief history, physical descriptions, personality traits, conflicts, and character growth.

When it comes to world building, describe the geography and how it affects culture, politics, and history. Provide an overview of the various cultures, their practices and beliefs, and how they impact character interactions. Explain the political landscape, the systems, structures, and how they affect characters. Develop the world's history, including key events and figures that shaped it and how it affects the current state of the world.

Include an overview of the magical and technological systems in the world, how they interact, and their limitations and implications. Discuss the various religions, their beliefs and practices, and how they impact characters. Provide an overview of the languages spoken in the world and how they affect interactions between characters. Lastly, describe the various creatures and races in the world, their physical characteristics, cultural practices, and how they interact with each other and with humans.

For convenience, here is a scrivener template created with this style in mind and all the research is included in the template's resource folder. It's free, so don't stress and Download. Note that this is a google drive link. Simply Download and import into scrivener as a template.

Looking forward to seeing you again in the future! If you love fantasy, check out my free novel! HERE.

[kittymaine]

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

I'm gonna try and use my tumblr as a book journal. Wish me luck buckaroos.

I finished The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers yesterday. It was my second time checking it out from the library. I had checked it out before, but had to give it back before I finished it.

I'm not a stranger to Becky Chambers. I read the Monk & Robot series and absolutely loved it and then read her novella To Be Taught, If Fortunate a few months ago. She's steadily becoming one of my favorite authors, so I'm definitely biased when it comes to her books, so I guess keep that in mind.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is a story that will feel familiar if you enjoyed Firefly. A group of misfits, only some of whom are human, travel aboard a cobbled together spaceship from one side of the galaxy to another. We go along with them on family dinner dates and tense hostage negotiations alike. It's a story about found family, and surviving and thriving in otherwise unlivable conditions, and about adventure, of course.

I'll start with my likes, which were many. This is both a setting and character heavy book. It's hard to chose which I liked more or which were more important. It's unusual to find a book that balances them so evenly. The characters are all really varied, but also nuanced. And, not just in their species or physical appearance or races or genders or sexual orientations, although they are varied in that way for sure. But, they also feel like real, nuanced people with strong personalities and differences and biases and beliefs. But the setting is just as rich and well crafted. As our crew travels across the galaxy we meet a wide variety of alien species, all with their own way of communication, their own unique cultures and beliefs, and fascinating and unique physiologies. This is definitely an alien heavy setting and the aliens really FEEL alien, which I loved. There are politics and infighting and resource issues, but it feels real because our crew isn't being asked to solve any of their problems. They're just normal people trying to navigate dangerous waters.

I'm definitely a character reader first, but man this setting really made me question whether that was true.

The downsides are that if you're a plot reader, this book may disappoint you. I've heard people say it feels like it just meanders around, which I can understand. There is a driving plot, but it's basically just a frame. The ship and crew must get from point A to point B and most of the actual content happens in the in between. Also, the book sort of just ends. Something really heavy happens at the end and our crew is left shaken but resilient. I'd love to see how they recover from the ending of this book, but it's my understanding that the second book doesn't follow them but another smaller character that shows up right at the end.

All that being said, I really really REALLY loved this book and I am 100% down to read the rest of them. I highly recommend it to scifi fans who are okay with a character heavy story.

[discar]

HZD Terraforming Base-001 Text Communications Network

Chapter 34 | Prev chapter | Next chapter Chapter Index

ADMIN [Zo] has added [Aloy] to the group

DIVINER: Oh, thank the ancestors.

HIMBO: YOU'RE OKAY!?

MARSHAL Kotallo: What about Beta and GAIA?

Aloy: I'm okay. The Zeniths took Beta and GAIA, but they should both still be alive.

DIVINER: But what happened!?!?!?

Aloy: I'll explain everything when I get back to the base. I'm not that far.

Aloy: Too tired to deal with everything right this second, and I want to do this in person anyway.

ADMIN [Zo]: We'll be here.

----

HIMBO: OKAY, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.

Aloy: What?

HIMBO: I'M STILL CONFUSED.

Aloy: Erend, we just spent half an hour talking about what we do next. This next part is tricky. I need to concentrate.

DIVINER: Are you fighting already??

Aloy: No, I'm sneaking up on the sunwings.

ADMIN [Zo]: Seems we finally found something you won't multitask on.

DIVINER: Ha!

HIMBO: NO, NO, I GET THE PLAN. FINISH THE TENAKTH CIVIL WAR, FORCE SYLENS TO COME TO THE TABLE BECAUSE YOU BROKE ALL HIS TOYS. I GOT THAT.

DIVINER: Don't forget saving the Tenakth!

HIMBO: THAT'S PART OF FINISHING THE CIVIL WAR.

MARSHAL Kotallo: And I do appreciate that you all agreed to help. Vengeance has waited too long already.

Aloy: Is there a point to any of this?

HIMBO: I'M STILL CONFUSED ABOUT THE ZENITH WHO RESCUED YOU.

Aloy: Tilda.

HIMBO: JUST

HIMBO: WHY?

MARSHAL Kotallo: Likely because that is her name.

HIMBO: HA HA.

Aloy: Tilda is... strange. There's a lot I don't quite understand about her.

Aloy: Before we even met face to face, I had to wander through her art collection, and she spent like an hour explaining the history and cultural significance of every single piece.

Aloy: It was interesting, sure, but it really felt like she thought the art was more important than anything else going on right now.

DIVINER: From my experience with both the Quen and the Legacy, I think that is unfortunately common among the upper classes!

DIVINER: [AngryFistShake.gif]

DIVINER: [DamnRichPeople.png]

HIMBO: YEAH, DAMN THOSE NOBLE BASTARDS!

ADMIN [Zo]: Erend, aren't you technically a Carja noble?

HIMBO: ...NO? WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT?

ADMIN [Zo]: Because you're rich and hold a prestigious position in the Carja hierarchy.

HIMBO: I'M RICH? WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?

MARSHAL Kotallo: Perhaps when you became closest friends with the ruler of the richest nation in the region.

HIMBO: WELL

HIMBO: DAMN.

Aloy: ANYWAY, she said a lot, and she claims to have developed a conscience. I'm not sure I believe her. She knew Elisabet. They used to be in a relationship, and now she's interested in seeing how I compare.

Aloy: Oh, and she's the one who gave Beta access to data outside her lessons.

DIVINER: Wait. So you're saying that your mom's ex-girlfriend, who broke up with her a THOUSAND years ago, is still holding a torch for her???

ADMIN [Zo]: And she sees Elisabet in her daughters. That never ends well.

HIMBO: LET'S BE FAIR, THIS IS A BIT MORE THAN A KID JUST LOOKING SIMILAR TO A PARENT.

ADMIN [Zo]: I do not believe that will make this better.

HIMBO: YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.

DIVINER: What about Beta?? You said you were able to get in touch with her, is she okay??

Aloy: She's hanging on. But we need to hurry.

Aloy: Which is why I need to override these machines and help the Tenakth defeat the rebels.

MARSHAL Kotallo: I'm already on my way to help Hekarro. I will meet you there.

MARSHAL Kotallo:But are you sure this will be enough?

Aloy: I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised.

HIMBO: WAIT WAIT! I ALMOST FORGOT!

[HIMBO] has changed [Aloy]'s name to [FlameHairSavior]

FlameHairSavior: Damn it.

Chapter 34 | Prev chapter | Next chapter Chapter Index

[suterbuyout2024]

“#wrote a college entrance essay about this once” re: rpf research excuse me WHAT can you elaborate please 😭 (i say as someone who has also written some unhinged essays)

okay in my defense i didn't actually talk about rpf explicitly, but i did write about how one of the big draws of hockey for me was all the minute details and research rabbitholes you could get absorbed in. it's funny to look back on now because i think my understanding of hockey has come a long way, and also i'm kind of a completely different person than i was, lol. i'll put a few sections under the cut just for fun :3

But in late November of my ---- year, I turned on the television to watch a hockey game. It was the Flames and the Senators -- not exactly a nail-biter. I knew what to expect. I’d been to a college hockey game once at the University of North Dakota, and I’d been casually interested. But I certainly didn’t count on the Ottawa Senators setting the starting point of a great epoch of my life. The thing about hockey is that, leaving aside everything else about the sport -- statistics, personality, fanaticism, gameplay -- hockey is fun to watch. It’s fast-paced but easy to follow. All you have to do is keep track of the puck. Stoppages aren’t too common, but if they do happen, it’s probably because a penalty has been called, or because of a scrum, which both lead to more interesting circumstances. In short, hockey held my interest, and outpaced my notoriously short attention span. At least, that was how it started.

apparently i was rly trying to keep that harvard admissions officer on their toes lmao

Hockey culture is an unmitigated disaster. Awash with misogyny, masculine posturing, glorification of violence, and a thriving disrespect for the civil rights of minorities, it’s easy to brush hockey off as another antiquated hold-out of gladiatorial sports. Fans live and die for the blood of it. It’s especially easy to do so as a queer woman, someone who is definitely unwelcome in central hockey circles. It took me about ten minutes to understand that hockey Twitter, at least, was not worth a second of my time. But I hadn’t gotten as far as making it through an entire Senators game just to give up now. And finding other avenues of building community was easier than I thought. The Internet, it turns out, is shockingly versatile. Just as white male hockey fans all tend to congregate in the loud, wide-open spaces of fandom, the rest of us found areas out of view of the mainstream gaze. Within Tumblr tags, Discord groups, and even fanfiction archive forums, the women, hockey fans of color, and even us queers began to find each other. It was easier, then, to know where to start. In short order, hockey turned from something I watched as stress relief after a long school day to something I knew about. The people I talked to were knowledgeable, and the research I did on my own -- as was my wont -- helped substantiate. First it was about the teams, and then, when I had satisfied my knowledge there, the players. The politics. The rules, the statistics, the prospects. The slow stop-start of change initiatives like the Hockey Diversity Alliance. It turns out that hockey is an unquellable fount of things to learn, and it quickly became a way to collect things to know.

it's interesting to look back and see which things i felt it was important to highlight, especially given all the things that have happened in recent years with hockey culture. also please disregard all the identity flashing, i WAS trying to get into college, after all.

i go on to talk a bit about the demographic layout of the nhl & the draw of european leagues, plus why i started learning russian (to read kirill's insta posts), but that's the rpf-related section. if i were to rewrite this essay today it would be a completely different look at the world of hockey and its current landscape, but i'm giving myself some grace for having committed the crime of being 18 and not very smart.

[colorisbyshe]

do you have any tips for someone who's going to their first concert soon?

Sure!

bring ear plugs/protection with you! they make some just for concerts/musicians. i'll be honest, i don't use them myself but... i'm probably losing my hearing at each concert. this is the most 'ymmv' tip i have here.

wear comfy shoes!!!!!!!! i know you wanna look cute but remember you can just... not take pics of your feet when taking Fit Pics. it's okay

look up the bag policy of the venue the day BEFORE you go to make sure you really got it down pat! most places are fairly lax. i tend to bring a purse is comfortable being worn all show, isn't too heavy, but can fit a portable charger, snacks (to be eaten in line, not in venue), my wallet, and nothing more than that

if you're waiting in line a long time, i recommend bringing a disposable water bottle--it tends to be just enough to keep you hydrated but not too much so you have to pee during the show. you likely wont be able to recycle it tho :( rip

i put pain killers in my purse and take them right before doors so i don't get too sore during the show, this is for standing only. if i'm seated, i don't bother. i do also bring pepto tablets (hidden in my wallet) but that's because i'm old and my stomach hates me

if you'er doing standing/general admission/the pit, get in line EARLY. at least 2-3 hours early, sometimes earlier. snacks, water, painkillers are a MUST here. talk to people in line around you, chances are they'll be near you in the crowd! you can form bonds so you can take turns going to the bathroom, buying merch, etc

buying merch: look up if the the venue takes cash or credit. some places are credit only, some are cash only, some both. if unsure, bring both if you want merch.

sometimes stuff sells out before the show starts, sometimes it's not worth buying it beforehand because you have to hold it all show and risk losing your spot if you go buy it. if seated, this is less of a concern.

lining up tip if you're going in a group: if your group isn't arriving together, be aware of some etiquette. if you arrive first and just one friend is joining you, it should be (probably will be okay) if they join you. if you arrive first and MULTIPLE people are joining you, go back to their spot in line. place holders for large groups are rude as hell. try to arrive at the same time tho. maybe get a meal together beforehand so you can arrive together.

drinks at shows are EXPENSIVE AS FUCK... just... not worth it. do with that info what you will. i know some people pregame in line (watched someone chug two coke and vodka bottles in line for CRJ lmao)... i don't. it's not worth it ot me

CHECK THE TICKET APP MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ARE YOU LOGGED IN? DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR PASSWORD?

bring a portable charger for your phone--don't need a massive one but taking video saps battery fast

the only other tip that matters is: read the vibe of the crowd. if peopel are being loud and rowdy, be energetic too! if people are being chill, be chill. don't be afraid to assert your boundaries, hold firm posture against peopel who are shoving, but also... don't be the person who requires others to assert THEIR boundaries. just... be considerate

if you need something extra though, communicate! a moment of peopel backing away from you so you can catch your breath or idk clean your glasses can be communicated easily, just ask "hey, just for a second, is okay if i do X." some people might say no, most won't.

i tend to tell the people around me that if they need me to duck down for a certain song/moment to get a pic, they can just tap on my shoulder.you don't hav eto do that though. my point in mentioning that is to just say--people at shows are just... people. they're mostly reasonable and just need to be spoken to if you have any concerns or questions.

that said: if you ahve any more specific questions or concerns that aren't touched on here, lemme know! i love concert talk and won't get to indulge enough (next show is in may boooooo)

[beautifulpersonpeach]

this is something of a random ask but i spend a lot of time on reddit and i've noticed something about sm stans. they don't just resent bts, they /hate/ hybe. more than any other type of kpoppie bpp, sm stans' hate spreads beyond just bts, it affects the other groups, they hate the idea of hybe itself. everything hybe does is bad, everything hybe does is actually of inferior quality to sm, everything from hybe must be treated as inherently questionable, mediocre and ultimately second-rate to everything from sm. even the most staunch hybe stans don't talk like this about hybe compared to other companies. they don't even bring up sm at all unless in reply to someone else, usually an sm stan making comparisons unprovoked in favor of sm. at least, talking to some hybe stan bffs this year, they weren't even as into the sm-hybe-kakao drama as the sm stans were.

what i'm asking bpp, is if you've seen this yourself. why are they like this? big 3 stans in general have this weird chip on their shoulder but sm stans have this intense vitriol for not just armys but hybe also and it's mad weird.

sorry for venting in your inbox bpp. you ignored my other asks and i don't blame you if you ignore this one. i didn't mean to trauma dump. i feel comfortable offloading in your space after seeing crazy take after crazy take on reddit. it's hard to even write "hybe" and "good" in the same sentence there without an sm stan breathing down your neck for typing it. i'm curious if there's a different sort of animus stans of sm groups have towards hybe specifically, if you see it and can explain why. but it's okay if you don't, i feel better already just being in your space.

***

That last line is kinda creepy ngl.

Maybe take a break off Reddit? I've not been on there for a while but I can't imagine it's changed much - it's just a place for k-pop stans who don't actually know what they're talking about but also like to argue, and a place for actual fanatics and nerds, to find community. I found my community offline so I've not been active on Reddit since like 2018 and I don't miss it. But if you'd rather remain active on Reddit, the only other unsolicited advise I'll give is to master the art of not giving a fuck. I'm not trying to plug the self-help book of the same title (I think), what I'm saying is that the groups you love are better served by you appreciating them, hyping them up, speaking about them in positive contexts, than going back and forth in comment threads arguing with people. If someone is spreading blatant misinformation, it's best to always correct them. But if it's just hate, personally, it's easy for me to ignore it or at worst if it's actually egregious, report it. I'm convinced the majority of k-pop stans (and a sizable proportion of people in the ARMY fandom including solos), just aren't good people. It's reflected in practically everything about how this sub-culture operates. So a natural inclination towards thinking for yourself and not giving a fuck enough to ignore obviously disturbed people or even just opinions you disagree with, will serve you well. This is how I'd recommend you deal with Reddit.

That said, yeah many fans of SM groups do exhibit a tangible sense of contempt for HYBE specifically. I actually spent almost the entire time reading your ask laughing, because man, there are reasons for why this is but I'm way too sober to get into it now. Maybe one day I will. Because for years I was fascinated by how, even k-pop noobs who become stans of SM groups, take on the same hostile countenance towards HYBE specifically compared to the other Big 3 companies. After watching this pattern repeat for years, finally at some point it clicked for me why. But anyway, we'll get into that someday.

[imaveryevilenby]

different anon again. call me philo anon if needed.

jehovah witnesses used as an example for hate groups tw, mentions of suicide and self harm, also in the context of example tw

i think there's two little important things to go back to in what 'gender doesn't exist (I'm a transphobe)' anon is saying.

First off, how they're being so polite, and repeating they don't want to invalidate you. How they thank you for not calling them a name and dismissing their ideas. Let's see, (using this as an example, hear it out) what was that post about how witnesses of jehovah get sent to knock at people's doors so that when they eventually get dismissed by people who don't want to discuss religion, they grow a stronger attachment to their community and believe that they're the only ones who would care about them?

Applying this to this anon's mindset, there's some parallel to be made between that and how anon, once called a dumbcunt and other things, is set on a path that says "trans people enforce oppressive gender roles. they don't hear me out. they're evil.", eventually meeting other transphobes and terfs who will share their humanity-saving ideas

Second thing is about the point they're making, more specifically this part:" in my eyes, we’d all just be a much happier people if we could stop playing within the bounds of gender, which has always been an oppressive system. i can’t invalidate your gender if gender isn’t real."

'In my eyes', okay, they respect other's opinions! how nice. (except they don't, their opinion includes one view and erases others. there's no genders so you're not trans, I'm not a transphobe, etc)

'we'd all be much happier'; their goal is happiness and wellbeing. how could they be wrong?

and finally the most important part, which I'll paste again: "if we could stop playing within the bounds of gender, which has always been an oppressive system"

Ah yes, there is one truth, and that is that gender is inherently evil. Therefore let us restrict it's use. Even though much studies have shown (refer to gaud's post on the same topic, I have it saved and will send a link if needed) that children have a lesser rate of suicide or self harm when they're let to identify as they wish, wether that be trans or non binary or anything else.

Final nail to the coffin: anon says that we shouldn't refer by people by their gender, and gender doesn't exist, as well as the binary. Yet, they keep calling you a 'guy' and using an extremely transphobe and biological definition for it. They say 'man or woman'. So, in this utopia that anon wants, where everyone's happy and gender is erased, people are defined by what they're born as? and what about intersex people? what about the cultural gender systems that aren't binary and aren't used as oppressive systems commonly?

personal opinion: people like that anon have made the binary western gender roles and norms into an oppressive system, for trans people, for intersex, for people that don't adhere to their biological male and female headcanon.

I think that's most of what I wanted to say. As last time, feel free to dismiss this, and you're cool af lily, ly.

To anon: Bud,,,, maybe in a utopia, like the one in that book who's author I forgot (pretty sure it's named 'Utopia' but it's NOT by st Moore), but where society uses genetic engineering and is a perfectly oiled machine that produces and consumes. Maybe then, when human will be streamlined and robbed of it's humanity, maybe then we can erase gender. Yes gender has been used to oppress, but don't you see? We're human, we're a mess of influences and cultures and so much more, and it's beautiful that we are and we keep creating, even with our own identity. You'll never be able to erase all of that. Please, don't see the people that are living with gender as part of their life as the same people that use it to oppress. They're really not.

holy fuck thank you

[mcthsman]

I actually really enjoy that over the last day or so the majority of the rpc/rpt community aside from the known two blogs, have and or realize that callout blogs, etc. are so vile and in the past. At the end of the day, these are still human beings with real feelings and majority of the time make mistakes. everyone is entitled to their opinion but when you use things like "racist, disgusting, transphobic, homophobic, etc." you're diminishing the real meaning of the word. It is nice that the majority of the rpc feels the same way. it's just a lil hobby at the end of the day, and it's used to be a nice escape of the real world. People forget that.

i'm sooooo iffy on this one ? i think calling out people who have racist and lgbt+phobic behavior needs to happen. it's not 'diminishing' the real meaning when it's a valid situation. people need to learn their behavior is not okay. that being said, when i left the rpc a couple of years ago people had this horrible gang mentality, and a lot of them used call out posts just to attack others; sometimes they would take words out of context, create fake screenshots, exagerate issues etc., just to get someone (especially face claims) they didn't like banned. does anyone remember the time a rpt tried to cancel a group because they refered to a character that used she/her pronouns as 'filipino' and the entire rpc said they were being transphobic for not using 'filipina' and a bunch of filipino muns had to exhaust themselves trying to explain their own language ? yeah, shit like that. i've been back for a hot second and i've seen something like that happening on my dash already, where a group of people (which, i'll admit, was part of the call-out rpts) took a race-related post out of context and started harrassing the people who were involved in it with far more aggression than it was needed. one person who was getting the majority of hate (wasn't even the post's author) and getting called a b*tch and an as*hole and that they should d*e and whatnot explained their interpretation of the post but people still chose to run with a twisted version of it just for the sake of ganging up on someone. at the same time, taking all of the rpts calling out groups and players and throwing them into one lump and saying they're all vile & shit-talking is far more counterproductive, and it actually diminishes the problems, which by your words, is not the goal. some people have valid concerns and valid criticism, and they need to be heard too.

[namine-somebodies-nobody]

If you were doing the ask game:

🍪 If you were a cookie, what kind would you be?

🐶 Are you more of a dog person or a cat person?

🙃 What’s a weird fact that you know?

Hmm... just because it's my favorite cookie, I'd have to say oatmeal chocolate chip! 🍪🩷

I'm an animal person! But if I have to choose, I'd say I'm more of a cat person (even tho I have a dog, who I absolutely love!)

(Picture of two of my fur-babbies because they're cute)

✨️ It's my time to shine! ✨️I am an encyclopedia of useless knowledge...

Some of these aren't really weird, but still sorta interesting.

I'm sure everyone knows that a group of crows is called a murder, but did you know a group of lemurs is called a conspiracy? And a group of porcupines is called a prickle!

People freak out over the amount of spiders they might accidently swallow in their sleep, but did you know that the FDA actually allows for insects and in some cases animal waste in the food we consume as long as it doesn't change the aesthetic.

Some people can actually hear the sound of their own eyeballs moving in their head. Supposedly, it sounds like scratching on sandpaper.

Hmm... I guess I'll add something about one of our ikevamp guys... Mozart...

He could speak at least 10 other languages other than his mother tongue. Some of which were English, French, Dutch, and Italian (so in the mansion, he shouldn't have any issues communicating.)

We often bring up the irl men's wives, but Theo's real life spouse wasn't the only one to help spread the work of her husband and brother-in-law. Mozart's wife, too. After he passed, she continued to promote his work. Her second husband helped her work on writing a biography on Mozart.

Mozart according to reports was actually a fairly small man. Only 5' 4" rather pale and thin. (This has made me personally wonder about his death/health.) No one is truly sure of what actually caused his death. There are speculations of it being a complication due to a vitamin D deficiency... brain hemorrhage... liver disease/failure... (and of course as we heard in game) possible poisoning.

Okay this got really long, i'mma stop here, sorry.

[suugrbunz]

you’re developing feelings for someone?? Tell more, tell more (if you’re okay posting some about it)!! I’m so interested in attraction psychology.. 😁

oh boy am I a case to study when it comes to attraction, this might be long.

Tw: Short mention of SA (not in depth, just the word itself)

ah where do I start— I'm practically anti-falling in love. The last two times I did, I was ghosted. So I don't want to fall in love out of that fear.

I think one trait that's been present everytime i have developed feelings for someone is whenever they text me I panic and turn my phone off until I think of a response. I do have some social anxiety that can become controling of these situations. One time, a guy called me and I had just deleted his number from my phone. Believing he wouldn't text or call me. I watched my phone ring, yelling at my friend that he was calling. She then sent me an excuse to text him and then call back... That's one of my funniest stories. oh he ghosted me.

I'm about to just start purging my brain's every though here we go.

He's not Jewish. No one would mind in my family. However, he is pagan which I think is where my parents may begin to mind. I don't, he's so lovely. Plus, my parents told me not to let them control me. I'm really lucky to have parents like them... Oh, I expressed my lack of judgement towards people immediately as he's experienced lots of unnecessary hate for his religious beliefs. Someone told him he should be killed for his pagan beliefs. Which... What the fuck?

I propose to the court; Why would I, a Jewish individual, express the same oppressive words that's been used against my people for centuries? I wouldn't. I think he groups Christianity and Judaism as being quite similar but the two religions are very different. If it was similar then an eight year old girl wouldn't have said I'll be in hell for not believing in Jesus. Big ew on the clear indoctrination of a child.

Frankly, I don't care what you are in terms of religion. As plainly stated to him, I believe religion is personal and it shouldn't matter what you are. As long as you are a good person, why would I care?Plus, I am not that religious. I used to be but, again, as stated to him, I felt alienated after a controversy within the community. Which connects to my experience of attraction. I was sa'd when I was eleven. People shamed victims/survivors of the crime for opening about their stories. Now you may ask, why? Rabbis were committing these crimes and people can't stand the thought of someone we paint as a saint actually being a terrible person that isn't free of sin. Idiots.

I did explain the community's controversy in full to him because he asked why I felt alienated.

He's complimented me a few times on my appearance but I cannot reciprocate the feeling. I had to explain that I don't feel physical attraction to anyone. I will compliment a personality rather than appearance if I am romantically interested. Which that ... Second sentence was not expressed.

I noticed when I am falling in love I begin to act more positively. My friend commented on the fact I am acting sweet & affectionate. Which as someone else who studies some attraction psychology, made me realise what was happening. I have a habit of not realising I'm actually developing feelings until some says something that flips the switch.

A strange flaw I have noticed of myself and I think it's out of trying to protect myself is that I fall in and out of love with the same person a few times. I'll convince myself they won't...love me. Then they show interest and I'm suddenly red in the face, remembering their actions and words are a better representative of their emotions than my thoughts. I remember when I liked this one guy, prior to this one, I had a moment of knowing it wouldn't work out. I remember crying to myself as I realised I don't speak nearly enough for people to actually love me. Was listening to mitski as well, great artist to play whilst crying.

My low self-esteem really strains my ability to connect to people. Oftentimes, I convince myself no one even likes me. Which happens off and on with this current guy and all my friends. Sometimes, I find people that are understanding of the issue (and don't baby me due to it).

Oh, he he's formed the habit of texting me good morning when he wakes up. This morning as I woke up, I was thinking about that. I turned my phone on and saw the notification from him and ... It causes such warm feeling inside... He and I talked about birds, nature, and other things. I have three birds that I adore. And here's my weird thing, I collect their feathers. I have a bag of feathers. Which I told him. He responded that he's been wanting to collect feathers as well but from wild birds lmao

Oh, I have the habit thinking of the person I have a crush on at random moments and becoming really smiley. This is a repetitive habit. Has happened with others.

[owenski]

Music recommendations

Are you looking for opm classic songs? Here let me share my all time favorite opm classic songs.

Don't Know What To Say - Ric Segreto

This is a crazy good song for all those hopeless romantic people. The song has just its simple tune, so calm but has a deeper thoughts of meaning. For every person who could not tell anyone about their feelings for someone. Hoping that one day they might end up feeling the same crazy feelings inside.

Closer You and I - Gino Padilla

Closer you and I means in a relationship distance is never an obstacle. Love, trust and open communication are the strong foundations to make things work. This song is highly recommended for couples who are in long-distance relationships to realize that distance is not a problem when you truly love each other.

A Smile in Your Heart - Jam Morales

“A Smile in Your Heart” was one of the greatest hits of OPM legend of the 80s Jam Morales. This love song A Smile In your Heart means nothing is more beautiful than a woman who is happy to be herself.

With a Smile - Eraserheads

With a Smile" is a single by the Eraserheads from their second album. This song is about a person reassuring their loved ones that they'll always there no matter what happens.

Forevermore - David Archuleta

This song is the Theme song of "Forevermore" a 2014 Philippine romantic drama television series directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina. The song is a tragic ballad about a guy trying to cope with a broken heart,” said Leevon. “What he’s trying to tell everyone is that it’s okay to feel bad, but just give me my moment and I’ll be fine afterward.”

When I met you - APO Hiking Society

When I Met You" is a song by a Filipino musical group, Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society. The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, later popularly known as APO Hiking Society, or simply APO, were a Filipino musical group, that comprised Danny Javier, Jim Paredes, and Boboy Garrovillo.

I'll Never Go - Nexxus

I'll never go is the same as saying I will never leave you no matter what and how hard the situation is. Because love is truly magical, it's such a nice feeling when one sings this song. And today, someone feels like singing this song, and he/she should listen whether he/she likes it or not.

Your Love - Alamid

Your Love is a song by Alamid, Alamid became popular in the music scene via the first single "Your Love," which the band initially deemed as "baduy" but eventually became their ticket to fame. This love song is my favorite among all the opm classic songs here, This song is highly recommend.

Parting Time - Rockstar

This song bring out emotion when somebody is leaving you and you can't let go. This song can have different meaning it depend on the person but for me it's a song for you and your lover like telling her you can't leave me, I'm lost without you, I can't leave without you and most important it's telling her how much you love her.

Leaving Yesterday Behind - Keno

Joaquin Francisco Sanchez, more commonly known as Keno, is a Filipino singer of Leaving Yesterday Behind. This song is about starting again with a new start and an open mind, forgetting the past and starting something new.

OPM songs convey both the simple and complex aspects of life. Listening to OPM songs is a great experience since it is the true essence of the Filipino spirit, which you can emotionally engage with. Furthermore, we cannot deny that music can provide us comfort in times of loneliness or sadness.

This songs is incredibly enjoyable to me; every songs has a deep and lovely message that can make your heart skip a beat. If you wish to attempt different music genres, these recommended songs can help you. This music is highly recommended, so I hope you'll take the time to listen to it.

[imightgetbetter]

i need some friendship advice….so my best friend is a bad texter (like really bad) she won’t reply for weeks and only responds when she’s at work (we work at the same place but different departments). I’ve talked to her about it and how it makes me feel like she doesn’t care about me or our friendship, it’s started to feel one sided. I’ve tried to not reach out as much and not answer her right away but i don’t know what to do anymore. I know she’s had bad days and can’t get out of bed but she prioritizes other things such as smoking weed and responding to a group chat we’re in. I just feel like i’m giving all of me and getting nothing in return. I don’t want to stop being her friend but I don’t know how much more I can give. I’ve tried to lower my expectations and tell myself to not rely on her for anything but I don’t have anyone else

hi friend. here are our thoughts:

bestie: Okay, this is going to come from someone who has 589 unopened text messages on their phone right now. So first off lemme start off with the simple fact that I HATE texting. The number one reason why being that I'd rather talk to someone and be able to actually fully focus on them and the conversation we're having vs texting them while I'm in the middle of my day having to focus on other tasks at hand. Examples being of running errands or dealing with craziness at work. I want the person I'm talking conversing to know that they have my attention, instead of me giving a lazy half-assed response because I'm pulling my phone out to message someone back while I'm in the middle of trying to make dinner or trying to problem solve at work. NOW, there is a second portion as to why I don't like texting and am so terrible at opening and responding. I am interacting with people and talking to people and around other people, about 14-18 hours a day give or take, and I am considered the extrovert out of our friends, but truly sometimes I just can't even try and force myself to socialize with people via a phone screen. I'll be honest and vulnerable on here and admit that I have been through some shit that has resulted in terrible episodes of depression and during these episodes, it is extremely hard to not only put on a fake smile and socialize with people at work because I literally have to in order to make money and pay bills, but to also do so during MY time with others. It doesn't matter if it's my best friend or a family member, somedays I really truly just can not respond to. I'm sorry you feel like the friendship is one-sided because I've also been in situations similar to yourself, and it hurts but sometimes you just have to stop and let them take care of themselves before you can mutually work on the friendship. Someone said something to me a long time ago and I've tried to carry it with me 'I can't care for or take care of others until I've taken care of myself.'. It almost sounds like that may be what your friend needs to do, take care of themselves and then work on the friendship with you. At the end of the day sadly you may lose a friend or become distant for a while, but I can guarantee that something good will come out of it. Whether that be that this friendship flourishes later down the road, or a new friendship happens with something else. The other thing to keep in mind is that sometimes we grow out of relationships and it can be difficult for one to express their thoughts or emotions to the other. My advice is to just have grace with this person, if you feel like a confrontation needs to happen for you to gain closure, great. If you feel like you need to just slowly let it fizzle out and end on its own, great. At the end of the day you are the only person who knows what it is that you need to do.

me: honestly, i am a really big communicator. i want to talk to my friends all the time, and the reason bestie and i talk so much is mainly because we live together, but before that, we had to make facetimes work and whatnot because she hates texting. i have a lot of friends that don't text, and it took me a very long time to figure out how to come to terms with the fact that everyone is a different communicator. but that's really what it comes down to. everyone communicates differently and you may need more communication. there have been people where i've said, this hurts me! i wish we talked more! and they express that they can't speak or they don't have the energy or whatever the case may be, and that doesn't mean they don't care (not playing devil's advocate but, this is my experience), they just can't right now. i think what you really need to do is take a step back and think about what you want in your friendships and what you can give! you can't give all of you, baby. you deserve to have that effort given back to you, and you will find people that do that. i have so many different friends now! friends i talk to every day, friends i talk to once a month. they're still your friend if they invest in you, but some people just can't invest every single day. i genuinely want the best for you and i think you are so sweet and you deserve to have all the best things with your friendships. i think maybe taking a step back and sitting with yourself and understanding what you can and cannot take is important here. self-reflection and understanding is the best thing you can give yourself at this time.

[idkimnotreal]

i think i was unfair to him when i caught him staring and all i wanted at the time was to confirm that he was gay, because it seemed unbelievable. so i laid a trap, i was waiting, i was not delicate. i threw him in the unforgivable cold sea. of feelings. naked, naked to me and only to me.

after i knew that he was gay, something like in the span of 3 seconds, i also knew that he was staring because he liked me. then i became self conscious and shy. that he did see. my body language, the way i shrunk in my chair. that's the picture of me: someone who knows a lot about the world, but who is never comfortable in it for some reason. and if we get into a relationship, he'll see that the way i acted then told him a lot about the person that i am, and that i don't want to be forever.

then the first time we talked... to his credit, he did create physical proximity. he sat next to me. it's like "hey, i don't know what happened, but i can't get you out of my head, so i'll just make it your move if you want to so i'm sure i didn't just waste a great opportunity". it's what he was trying to say, i guess. i don't think he was sure i would ask, "can i join you guys?" that day.

he had all reasons to be cold to me that day. and he was. he made no effort at all to make me feel included. he just said, "here's your canva link, do your part of the thing and that's it". this had very bad results for me. i'm already bad at making it into a group of people. no wonder, i'm autistic, so on and so forth. i was embarrassed in front of the class because i couldn't communicate properly with the group to say that i didn't want to do a presentation. the entire class laughed, and then when we sat down i became visibly nervous, i needed to stim so i started fidgeting with my backpack, on the floor between my legs, looking down (note: i was not nervous because i was embarrassed. i was nervous because he was next to me and it was too much). i apologised to them because i wanted to lay the ground for us to work together again, so i needed to make it okay right then, and i did it. but i was still nervous. that day, he was the first to leave the room; he left his friend sitting there and sort of just bolted or darted, i don't know, they usually even arrive late together (wait for each other outside the room) so i think that wasn't normal behaviour for him.

maybe what was going on in his head was the same thing that was going on in mine. i thought that i had proved to be a disappointment, that my inability to chat with him made him lose interest for sure, and that's why he wanted nothing to do with me and if i was the reason he left so soon and so quickly, that proved that. in contrast, maybe the reason why he was frustrated is because he saw that he acted cold when he didn't need to and that made me feel unwelcome and he had just lost me, without even trying. maybe he thought that at the time. i think we both thought we had ruined things.

then i added him on whatsapp, which he could see because my picture showed up for him (he has done the same now, just a week later). i did that on that same day. i'm not that easy to disappoint or discourage. i may be mad or frustrated or sad but i don't give up on people i like. i tried to recognise our gestures for what they were: the failings of two insecure young men. nobody's to blame for that. i wanted to make him feel welcome no matter what. in my arms, in my heart, in my eyes, because that's what a relationship is about if i want one.

it's odd to see if from third perspective. not mine, not his, but a 3rd one. he was still acting cold last tuesday, but he did try to include me in the group - he asked for my input sometimes, which he didn't last time, and he even asked about me at one point. yet he didn't smile at me. i guess it's easy to jump to the conclusion that he doesn't like me. but i don't know what goes on in his head. maybe his feelings are a lot stronger than i think, maybe it was a full blown crush or something. and i had no idea of that at first, so my actions might have been harsh. it's a good thing that he's not the unforgiving type, nor am i. i think i may have been a bit of a jerk, but i didn't want to. to expose him like that and make him feel like a failure, i hate that i might have done that. above all, i can't accept that he might really like me that much. it's strange. to have someone like me, it's like i can't understand it so it can't be true. the way i am to his eyes might be completely different to the way i am to my own eyes. in the movie "agora", hypatia seemed very aware of that, that she was not the image her student had created of her on a pedestal, but she that didn't seem to confuse her any bit, she just knew it. i, instead, am confused. maybe, in fact, i want to see what he sees...

i just don't want to hurt him.